Sweetest Song
by Dystopian Hope
Summary: Demyx always dreamed of making it big with his band. But with senior year going by fast, his bandmates could be slipping away. And what about this crush on Zexion? How can he let his best friend know how he feels?
1. Too Hot

Sorry if this first chapter is bad. The first one is so hard to write. If this does good, I will continue it. Please try to give it a chance!!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.

The end of summer heat was burning through everyone and everything. Including the garage roof. It was nearly October, yet the hot weather refused to subside. Demyx looked around at each of his band mates, all fanning themselves in some manner. Marluxia, the keyboard player was using his sheet music, while Axel, the drummer, simply used his hands. The guitarist, Saix, was completely silent, a small battery-powered fan around his neck. At least someone had the right idea. Despite everyone's displeasure, it was the bass player who spoke first.

"It's too hot in here today, Demyx," Zexion spoke, plucking the top string of his bass. "Can't we just wait until tomorrow to practice?"

"Yeah," Axel agreed. "Or get a freaking air-conditioner in your garage. I'm sweating my ba-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Axel. I don't want to hear about your disgusting parts."

Demyx laughed at the two as Zexion gave Axel a smirk. His band mates were practically family. They'd formed Melodious Nocturne their sophomore year. Demyx and Axel had known each other since grade school, both being in marching band for a short time. Marluxia had been introduced to them through Demyx's neighbor and friend, Larxene, when the two started dating. Saix was an acquaintance from freshman year math class, who was known to play a mean guitar solo. So Demyx befriended him and asked him to join the band.

The only thing missing was the bass player. At the beginning of sophomore year, Saix informed them of his cousin, Zexion, who was moving to town. Apparently, Zexion's parents were extremely busy business people, who were always moving from place to place. He'd been kicked out of his boarding school (for reasons Demyx still didn't know), and was coming to live with Saix's family. It just so happened that he played the bass. So before they even knew each other, Demyx had extended an offer to join the band, which Zexion gladly accepted. Now in their senior year of high school, the band was nearly two years old and still going strong.

The only problem was that all of their teachers were trying to push college on them. And some of them were really considering it. Mainly Zexion, who had become Demyx's best friend. Though it worried Demyx to see Zexion go, he never said a word to the slate-haired teen. If it was his dream to go to college and start a career in something other than music, who was Demyx to stop him? But Demyx had a problem of his own…

He'd developed a crush on Zexion quite some time ago, and he really hated to see him leave. Especially if he never knew how Demyx felt for him. Yet another problem was Zexion's on-again, off-again girlfriend, Kairi. They'd been on again for nearly two weeks. Demyx was giving them three more days before they would be off again. Secondly, he didn't think Zexion would feel the same, seeing as he was attracted to girls. How would something like that ever work?

So Demyx had resorted to keeping his feelings locked inside. Well, with the exception of telling Axel, his only outwardly gay friend (though you couldn't tell based on his behavior). And that in itself, could have been a huge mistake, had he not sworn Axel to secrecy. Oh, yeah, and his friend from school, Vexen, who also happened to be his tutor and unofficial therapist. And then there was Larxene….Okay, so maybe everyone knew but Zexion and Kairi. Maybe. But if Saix had know, he'd never let on. Then again, Saix didn't really say much to begin with.

"Sweating my balls off," Axel finished anyway, just to spite the bass player.

Zexion shook his head. "You're disgusting."

"I'm going to have to agree with Zexion," Marluxia sighed.

Axel glared.

"That's not what I'm talking about. Though you may be disgusting, Axel, I meant the practicing tomorrow thing. It's way too hot for this today."

"Aw, come on, guys!" Demyx pleaded. "How are we ever going to make it anywhere if we let the heat get in our way? You know how hot it would be on a real stage?"

"If it's as stifling as your garage, I think I should just quit now," Axel mumbled under his breath.

Now it was Demyx's turn to glare. "Axel, you know you don't mean that. Come on. Three songs and we'll call it quits for today."

Reluctantly, the others agreed. Demyx started to strum his sitar and the others joined in, recognizing the song as Demyx began to sing. Many of the people that saw his strange instrument wondered how it could possibly fit in with rock music, but they were all impressed when they heard. That's why Demyx had so much faith that their band could make it. Even when the others didn't.

Towards the end of the third song, Larxene, Demyx's blonde-haired neighbor and Marluxia's girlfriend, came strutting over. She looked at each of the sweating band members, offered a short round of applause, then fanned herself with one hand. As she entered the garage, each of the band members started to clean up, packing their things rather slowly with exhaustion. She walked to Marluxia and hugged him.

"I can't believe you guys still practiced in this weather," she said.

"We're cutting it short today," Axel sighed. "Too freaking hot for this. Hey, Dem, we still meeting at the same time tomorrow?"

Demyx shook his head. "I have a tutoring session with Vexen after school tomorrow, so he'll probably be here 'til about five. You guys can come over then."

"Sounds good to me," Marluxia shrugged. "I have an hour detention tomorrow for Ms. Gainsborogh. Apparently, drawing pictures in your text book is a bad thing."

"Well, everyone knows how fond of flowers the both of you are," Axel grinned. "Why don't you try giving her some?"

Marluxia smirked. "Very funny, Axel."

"What exactly did you draw, anyway?"

"Did anyone meet the new kid yet?" Larxene asked, changing the subject. "He moved in down the street a few days ago. Started school today. I think his name is Roxas or something."

"Nope, haven't seen him," Axel replied, standing from his drum set and heading for the open door. "With a name like that, I think I'd remember. Maybe I'll see him tomorrow. I'm heading home. Later, guys."

He walked away, carrying only his drumsticks with him. Demyx shook his head. Axel had skipped school today, so of course he hadn't met the new student. Marluxia flicked the switch on his keyboards and followed Larxene out of the garage, waving to the others as he left. This was routine. Everyday after band practice, he would go to Larxene's house, and if they decided to, the group would hang out together again later. This left Saix, Zexion, and Demyx, putting away their instruments in the garage, since the drums and keyboards just stayed in the garage.

"Are you coming home now?" Saix asked, looking at Zexion. "Or are you going to Kairi's?"

Zexion hoisted his bass bag onto his back. "She's hanging out with Namine today."

Demyx couldn't help himself from jumping one the chance, even if it meant Saix would be there, too. "Well, I don't have anything to do. You guys can hang out here with me."

"I can't," Saix frowned. "I have a ton of homework to do."

Demyx looked to the bass player. "Zexion?"

The slate-haired boy shrugged. "Well…I don't have anything else to do. Why not?"

Saix smiled. "Okay. I'll let Mom and Dad, or shall I say your _legal guardians_ know where you are. Don't stay out too late."

"Yeah, I know."

Saix walked away, too, heading for his house just a few blocks away. He took his guitar with him, too. Demyx had suggested that they just leave their instruments in the garage, too, but they insisted on bringing them home. They both enjoyed practicing at home. Once he had gone, Demyx hit the button to close the garage door, then motioned for Zexion to follow him into the house.

Yet another routine. Each day, when everyone was leaving, Demyx sprung on the chance to invite Zexion (and whoever else was still lingering) to hang around for a while. Though it was usually just to get Zexion to stay as long as possible. And he was still completely oblivious to Demyx's feelings. Demyx would walk into the house first, Zexion following shyly behind, and fetch each of them a drink, then head upstairs to his room. Usually, they would play some kind of video game, do homework, or write some new music. It seemed like no matter how many times Zexion had been in Demyx's house, he would never lose the timid behavior.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Demyx asked, sipping his drink after they had gone upstairs.

Zexion shrugged his shoulders, placing his bass and schoolbag in a corner near the door. "Anything. Whatever you want to do."

Demyx couldn't help but dream about all the things that could mean. Unfortunately, he knew that wasn't going to happen. He simply turned his television on instead, flipping though the channels. Maybe today they could just chat about something. Something Demyx had been curious about for a long time.

"Hey, Zex?"

Zexion looked at him as he took a seat on the bed. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you get kicked out of that religious boarding school you went to?"

"Well, Demyx….That's something I would rather not talk about. Anything else you wanted to ask me?"

Demyx laughed. Zexion may have been his best friend, but that was the one tidbit of information he'd never been able to weasel out of him. "Was it something really bad?"

"It depends on whose viewpoint you look at it from. I didn't think it was." He gave Demyx a quizzical look. "What's with the fascination all of a sudden?"

"Nothing. I've always just wondered. You're not a bad kid at school now. You've never had detention and you barely even speak. I just don't understand what you could have done that was so bad you got kicked out."

Zexion raised his eyebrows. "Kid? Anyway, it's not really that big of a deal."

Demyx gave him an innocent look. "Really? Why won't you tell me, then?"

Hesitation. "I'll tell you sometime, Demyx. I just don't want to talk about that right now."

"Okay. I respect that." He paused. "So how are you and Kairi?"

"We're okay." Another hesitation. " Hey, you wanna play that new racing game of yours? I'm just dying to kick your ass today."

Demyx nodded. He could tell that Zexion didn't feel like elaborating on that. Perhaps his guess of three more days was right. Though as much as that excited him, it disappointed him to see his best friend so upset. Kairi was a nice girl, but she just wasn't meant to be with Zexion. Demyx couldn't understand why neither of them could see that. He just wanted to see his friend happy….Even if that meant Zexion not being with him.


	2. Advice

"Demyx. I know how hard it is for you, but if you want to make it somewhere with these, you need to pay attention."

Vexen did not look happy. They'd been sitting in Demyx's kitchen since they had come home from school. Wednesdays were his tutoring days, when his friend (and genius) Vexen would come over to help in all the lessons Demyx was having trouble with. Namely math. Demyx couldn't stand math. Today it was geometry. Something about some kind of theorem. Vexen had been droning on about it for nearly an hour.

Despite what the others believed, Demyx looked forward to his tutoring sessions with Vexen. It was the time when he could vent about everything going on in life. Vexen was practically his diary. But the tutor had made Demyx promise to pay attention to the lessons _before_ venting, which made it all the more difficult. Zexion had offered many times to tutor Demyx (because he had poor Zexion convinced that Vexen's teaching was _incredibly_ boring, which wasn't completely true). As much as he would have loved to accept Zexion's offer -the slate-haired teen was more than capable of teaching-, Demyx didn't know if he would be able to keep his feelings completely in check being alone in the house with him for two hours. It was hard enough to do that every day. So he'd regretfully turned Zexion down, making up a lie about how his mother demanded he keep Vexen so that he would actually learn something instead of writing music….Or something like that.

The tutor pushed his long blonde hair over his shoulder as Demyx finally looked up at him. He'd been using his math book as a pillow, leaning on the kitchen table lazily. Vexen's emerald green eyes bore into him for a moment. Then, shaking his head, the tutor closed his math book and packed his books into his schoolbag. Demyx was suddenly wide-awake, knowing what this meant.

"Before you even being," Vexen stated. "I want you to recite the Pythagorean Theorem for me. Just so that I know you learned _something_."

Demyx chewed on his pencil. "Um…A squared plus B squared equals C squared?"

"That's right. But do you have any idea what that means?"

"Something with triangles?"

Vexen sighed. "Good enough. Now, what is it that is bothering you that has you so unusually distracted today?"

"It's Zexion."

"I should have guessed…"

"Well, it's not really him, so much. Just…I asked him about how he and Kairi were doing yesterday, and he just kind of shrugged it off. And it just drives me crazy because I know they aren't happy. Why do they keep getting back together if they're both miserable? I mean, I know that he likes her, but…I don't know. It's just irritating, that's all."

"It's because you care for him," Vexen said. "That's why it's so irritating to you. You don't like seeing your friend unhappy, even though he tries to hide it."

"He's not meant to be with her."

"Well, have you said anything to him about how you feel?"

Demyx looked at Vexen like he'd been hit by a car. "Are you crazy? Zexion would probably freak out. He's not _gay_, Vexen. I think that's a little obvious."

"Well, you never know. He could be bisexual, Demyx. What's the worst that could happen?"

"For starters, let's see. He could freak out and tell me he never wants to see me again. Or he could freak out, tell me he never wants to see me again, run into the street and get hit by a car. Or he could freak out, tell me he never wants to see me again, run into the street and get hit by a car, while shouting something about how much he despises every fiber of my being. How's that sound?"

"You're over-exaggerating, Demyx. If you really want him to stay close to you, just keep showing him how good of a friend you are. When he's hurting, let him know you're hurting, too. Show him you care. And if he does decide to end it with Kairi, jump on the chance and tell him how you feel. Face it. You're never going to feel better until you tell him."

"He doesn't know I'm gay. Besides, I've kept my feelings a secret this long. I'm sure I can keep it much longer."

Vexen shook his head again, stood and pushed in his chair. "If you say so, Demyx. You should probably get out there. Your band mates will be showing up soon, if they already haven't. I'll see you in school tomorrow, okay?"

Demyx started to stuff his own supplies back into his schoolbag. His mother was never happy about coming home to a kitchen full of school supplies. He heard the sound of Vexen opening the front door, and a faint voice before it closed.

"Oh. Hello, Vexen."

_Zexion!_

He jumped up from the table, leaving the remaining books on the table and his schoolbag on the chair. He'd have to apologize to his mother later. Rushing to the door, he tripped over his own shoes, which he quickly shoved on, then opened the door as Zexion raised a fist to knock.

"Hey, Dem," Zexion said with that small smile. "Nice timing."

Saix was standing behind him, guitar case in hand. Zexion had his bass bag strapped to his back. It was always funny to see the smallest band member carrying around the large instrument. The neck itself was almost longer than his arms. Marluxia approached a few moments later, accompanied by Larxene, leaving Axel to show up last. Though the weather was hot today, too, they didn't complain. Demyx opened the garage door, allowing everyone to crowd inside, taking up their usual spots.

"So, how about that new student," Axel said, sitting on his drummer's stool.

Zexion scoffed. "Yeah, how about him. You haven't even seen him yet, Axel. You haven't been to school since he started."

"I can take a few days off if I want," Axel sneered.

"Yeah, until Reno finds out. What do you think he'll say?"

Reno was Axel's older brother and caretaker. Their parents had been killed in an accident years ago, and Reno had taken over the parental responsibilities. Though, he was much cooler than any parent Demyx had ever known. What parent let their child skip school when they just didn't feel like going? He was fairly cool about drinking too, as long as whoever was drinking wasn't driving (or a cop). If you were drinking, you were staying at Axel's house for the night. That was Reno's rule.

"Reno's cool with it," Axel replied with that cocky air both he and his brother possessed.

"Until the school calls and tells them you're flunking senior year less than a month into it. You need to be careful of these things, Axel."

"Yeah. Coming from the one who got _kicked out_ of a religious boarding school. Don't worry about me, Zex. I'll be fine."

Zexion shrugged. "Okay. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Without another word, they kicked up their band practice, Marluxia breaking any further arguments with his keyboard solo. Larxene, who stayed in her chair near the open doors, sang along with the songs, bopping her head to the beat. She had made herself the unofficial manager, getting them gigs at local clubs, mainly through a family friend that owned a bar. But the entire time, Demyx couldn't help noticing the far away look in Zexion's eyes as he played. His fingers were plucking the strings, but the bass player didn't seem to be in the same world as everyone else. What could be bothering him at a time like this? He was supposed to be focusing on the band! Demyx figured he could just ask after they had finished.

They played a few more songs that yesterday before finally succumbing to the heat. Everyone followed their routines, going their separate ways. Saix and Zexion were last, always packing their things neatly into the instrument cases. Zexion still seemed distracted, and Demyx wondered if he could get the boy to talk.

"You guys doing anything?" Demyx asked.

"I'm going to Luxord's house," Saix answered. "He challenged me to a game of poker today, so I'm off to lose so munny."

"Oh, okay. Good luck with that. How about you, Zexy?"

"Oh, huh?" Zexion answered, snapping back to their world. "I'm sorry; did you just call me Zexy?"

"Yeah, sorry. I know you hate that. What are you going to do now?"

"Actually…" He appeared to be thinking. "I have some work I have to do, so I'll see you tomorrow in school, Dem."

He rushed off so fast, neither Demyx nor Saix had time to respond. The remaining two exchanged confused looks. Saix picked up his guitar case, glancing at Demyx.

"Um, I don't know what that was all about," the guitarist spoke in his calm tone. "I'll ask him about it later. Must be girl troubles. See you later, Dem."

Demyx didn't sleep well that night. All he could think about was the way that Zexion had shrugged him off at band practice. He couldn't help but wonder if it was something he did. But what? He hadn't done anything inappropriate that he could think of. Maybe he had sat a little closer to Zexion than most people would when they were playing the racing game the day before. But he did that all the time. Surely that wasn't what was bugging Zexion. When his alarm clock went off before school Thursday morning, Demyx was already wide awake. He zipped through his morning routine, and then set off for the walk to school.

Larxene met up with him outside, and they headed down the sidewalk together. Saix's house was only two blocks away, so that was where they headed. Normally, both Saix and Zexion would be waiting on the porch. But today it was only Saix. He walked to them, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans.

"Zexion left a little early," he informed. "I don't know what's bothering him. He hasn't really said much to me. Said he needed a little time to think for himself."

Demyx frowned. Finding out what had been bugging him would have to wait until later. A sound came from across the street, Axel's house, and a backpack flew out the front door. Axel followed a moment later, as Reno stuck his head outside.

"You'd better get to school today," Reno lectured. "I'm not kidding. You've had two days off in a row. If I find out you're failing, I'll kill you!"

Axel sighed, scooping up his bag and walked to the others. Larxene was laughing while Saix tried to conceal his smile. Demyx simply raised his eyebrows and shook his head.

"It's a good thing that Zexion isn't here to see that," Demyx smiled. "He would love to rub it in that he was right."

Axel smirked. "Shut up, Dem. I would love to rub it in that I know something you don't want Zexion to know."

Demyx felt his cheeks redden as Saix looked at him. "Shut up, Axel!"

"What don't you want him to know?" Saix asked and Demyx found himself wondering when Saix had become so nosy.

"Nothing. It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Larxene laughed again as they continued their way to school, Demyx's cheeks never going back to their original color. Saix let the subject go, and Demyx was thankful for that. He didn't think he could bear to tell his best friend's cousin how he felt.

Demyx didn't see Zexion until second period History class. They sat next to each other, along with Axel. Today, however, Zexion didn't seem to be paying attention to much of anything. He didn't even greet Demyx when he came into the room and took his seat. Instead, the slate-haired teen simply took his seat, pulled a book out of his schoolbag, and started to read. Although the look on his face said he was deeply absorbed in the book, Demyx knew otherwise. He probably wasn't taking in whatever the book was saying.

"Hey, Zex, what's up?" Demyx asked.

Zexion glanced up, slowly shaking his head. "Nothing. Just reading a book."

"Come on, Zexion, I can tell when something is bugging you. Talk to me."

"Well, hello new kid," Axel said from his seat in front of Demyx, purring like a cat. "Hey, Dem, why didn't you tell me the new kid was in our class?"

Demyx scowled, flashing Axel a look. "He's in a few of our classes. His name is Roxas and he sits across from you."

Axel's eyes widened as Roxas, sure enough, took a seat across from him and in front of Zexion. Almost immediately, Axel went into interrogate-and-harass mode, talking to Roxas like a common criminal. Demyx was slightly relieved. At least Axel was distracted. He looked back to Zexion, who was zoned out, looking at his book again.

"Zex, just tell me-"

"Shuddup and listen here!" Mr. Highwind demanded, walking into the classroom and calling the class to order.

Looks like talking to Zexion would have to wait. And it ended up waiting longer than Demyx would have liked. He saw Zexion again in P.E., Lunch, Art, and Study Hall, all of which Zexion would not admit what was on his mind. When school was over, Zexion made for the doors as quickly as possible, not bothering to wait for the others. When Demyx saw this, he seized the opportunity and followed, chasing Zexion up the sidewalks.

"Zexion, wait!" he called, but his best friend continued walking. He frowned as he was forced to run, only slowing down when he was in step with Zexion. "Hey, talk to me. What is bugging you? You're acting really weird."

Zexion shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'm fine."

Demyx stopped walking, his tone stern when he spoke. "Bullshit. You've been shunning the rest of us for two days now. Everything is not _fine_. Now, knock off your lying and tell me what the hell is bothering you. I'm your best friend."

Zexion looked to his friend, the look on his face a mix of hurt and shame. He motioned for Demyx to follow him and continued on his way. "Kairi and I broke up again yesterday."

_Already? Wow, that was faster than I planned. Sorry, buddy. Good news for me, bad news for you._

Demyx gave his friend a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry. Is that what it is?"

"Well, there's more. After she broke up with me, she said maybe we could try again another time. It's just…I'm tired of always _trying again_. Every time I think we're okay, it turns out to be otherwise…and…" He sighed, finally looking Demyx in the eyes. "I know I'm not in love with her. To be completely honest, I don't even think we fit well together. We're too different. I don't know why I even got back with her as many times as I have. I just…don't know how to tell her any of this with out, well…pissing her off and making her hate my guts."

"Just be honest with her. Tell her how you feel in as nice a way as possible. You don't hate her, right?"

Zexion shook his head. "No."

"So just explain to her the situation. Tell her that, as much as you cherish your friendship, you just don't think it will work as anymore than that. I mean, come on, how many times have you guys tried dating?"

"…Seven? Actually, I lost count."

Demyx smiled. "She will understand. Trust me. Sometimes you just have to let people know how you feel, even if it's hard."

Zexion nodded, knowing Demyx was right. What he didn't know, however, was how much Demyx wished he could take his own advice.


	3. Confession

Just want to say thank you to my reviewers, the few of you there are! I'm glad you are enjoying this, because I enjoy writing it. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to review. Even if it doesn't catch on, I'll probably continue writing it. Thanks again!

And yeah, I can't see Zexion and Kairi together, either. That's why I chose them. It's painfully obvious that they aren't meant to be! Zemyx!!

Demyx was surprised when Zexion actually took his advice. The very next day, Zexion approached her after school and the two had a quiet conversation. He came clean about everything he had told Demyx. Apparently, Kairi had taken it well, agreeing with most of what he had said. They left on good terms, and Demyx was grateful for that. Mainly because that meant he had given good advice, more reason for Zexion to trust him. And every day after that, Demyx wondered if he should come clean to Zexion with his feelings.

That was a little over three weeks ago. The hot weather had finally faded into a cool autumn climate, leaves on the trees changing and falling. Halloween was coming up this weekend, and Demyx had every intention of asking Zexion to pass out candy with him at his house. Of course, it wouldn't be a date, but maybe if he could get some alone time with him doing something like that, he could get the guts to confess. But the weeks had passed by, and Demyx still hadn't figured out how to ask him. Band practices came and went, and Zexion would stay to hang out more often each week. With Kairi out of the picture, it was much easier to talk him into staying. Even if it was for something like homework.

So today, Demyx had decided, after band practice, he would invite Zexion over for Halloween. Maybe even to spend the night. Halloween first. If he took that well, Demyx figured he could push a little further for an overnighter. Zexion had stayed the night before, but it seemed like it had been ages since the last time. Maybe he would feel up to it for a holiday. Today was a Friday, and Halloween was tomorrow. So he couldn't use school or homework as an excuse.

"Hey, guys," Larxene said as the band finished up. "I got you guys another gig at Xaldin's pub. Normal rules apply. We aren't allowed to drink, and we have to have someone of age there. Anyone think they can get ahold of Lexaeus to help us?"

"I can call him," Marluxia volunteered. "He actually trusts me to drive his van, even if he can't be there. I still don't understand why Reno won't help us."

Axel shrugged. "Reno prefers to do his drinking in private. And he's not too good at resisting temptation. If he drove us there, we'd never get home."

"Understood." He looked at his girlfriend. "So when's the gig?"

"Next Friday," Larxene answered. "It will probably be the biggest one you've played, being a Friday night. You guys better make it worth it."

"Has anyone been doing college applications?" Zexion asked.

"Hell, no," Axel yawned. "I don't go to school now. Why would I go to one I have to pay for?"

"I did," Demyx answered.

Though he didn't want to admit it, he had decided to apply to a nearby school. If his band wasn't going to make it, he needed a back up plan. He decided that teaching music would be his next best bet. Fortunately, he'd found out that Zexion had also applied there. Another _secret_ reason he'd chosen that particular school.

"Me, too," Marluxia answered. "Though I'm dreaded the responses."

Saix simply nodded in agreement with Marluxia's answer. They packed up their things, as usual, and headed their separate ways. This time, Zexion was last to finish, even Saix leaving without him. After zipping up his bag and strapping it to his back, he looked up at Demyx.

"Hey, Dem," he spoke, his voice quiet. "I just wanted to…thank you."

Demyx looked at him, confused. "For what?"

"A few weeks ago, when you helped me with the Kairi problem. I was being a jerk, and you still helped me. So I wanted to thank you. You're a great friend."

_Oh no, I'm blushing. Come on, Demyx don't do that!_

"It's nothing," Demyx smiled. "I'm just glad that I could help."

Zexion gave a quick nod, then turned around and started for the open door. Demyx instantly started to panic. He was leaving, and Demyx hadn't done anything he promised himself he would. Without thought, he quickly stood up, his sitar nearly crashing to the floor. Regaining his composure in a flash, he said the only thing he could to get Zexion's attention.

"Zexy?"

Zexion looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Again with that name? You know why I don't like that, Demyx."

_Right. Because it sounds like 'sexy.'_

Demyx grinned. "Sorry. Um…what…I…" He took a subtle breath, trying not to make his anxiety anymore obvious than it was. "Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"No. I think Saix is passing out candy…Hey, is tomorrow a full moon?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"…No reason. Saix just tends to…act a little strange on full moons. He would scare small children."

"Oh. Okay. Um…do you want to pass out candy here with me? My mom doesn't like doing that, and I…just want someone to keep me from being bored to death."

Zexion smiled. "Sure. Um…when should I come over?"

"Anytime you want. I won't be doing anything all day."

"Okay." He smiled before turning to walk away. "I'll see you then."

The next day, Demyx made sure his room was neater than it had ever been. He dusted all of the surfaces in the room, including the TV, washed all of his dirty laundry, and his bedding. Though he hadn't sprung the question of Zexion staying over, he wanted to be safe, just in cases. And a messy room was not something Demyx wanted his crush to think of when someone spoke his name.

After he had finished, he pulled his Halloween costume over his clothes. Dressing up was just something Demyx couldn't pass up, no matter how old he got. He was a Devil this year, complete with a tail and horns, a plastic pitch fork for prodding anyone who needed it. He didn't expect Zexion to dress up. He never did.

Zexion didn't come over until around six o'clock, just shortly before it was time for trick-or-treaters to start their rounds. Though Demyx was a little disappointed, he was more relieved that his friend showed up. His mother had baked pumpkin cookies, under the impression that Zexion was staying over, and the house held the fresh aroma of baking. When the doorbell rang, Demyx pulled the front door open, a smile plastered to his face. Zexion, however, didn't appear as happy. To Demyx's surprise, he was dressed for the occasion, wearing a plain black grim reaper's cloak over his street clothes, a plastic scythe in his left hand. The hood and face mask part hung loosely on his chest.

"Hey, Dem," he said, his tone somewhat melancholy. "Sorry I'm late. I…got a bit held up."

"Hey, it's not a problem." Demyx looked at his friend, concerned. "You okay?"

Zexion went to speak, but was immediately ambushed by Demyx's mother with a tray full of cookies.

"Zexion, dear, have some cookies!" the woman said happily. It was clear that Demyx had gotten most of his traits from her. "I made them especially for your sleepover with Demyx."

Demyx resisted the urge to smack his forehead in disbelief. Zexion looked at him, thinking it was just his mother's misunderstanding. But he seemed to take it rather well.

"Thank you. That was very nice of you, Ms. Takahashi."

The blonde woman smiled. "You boys, have fun!"

She walked away, singing merrily as she danced back into the kitchen. Once she was out of earshot, Zexion looked at Demyx, inquiring for an answer.

"Sleepover?" he asked.

"She just assumes these things," Demyx said. Though he was laughing it off on the outside, he was cringing on the inside. He decided to just wing it from there. "But hey, if you want to stay, you're more than welcome. I don't mind the company."

"Here's the candy, Demyx!" his mother smiled, strolling back to them with a giant orange bowl of candy. "Now you two get out there and pass it out. Oh, Zexion, don't you look so cute as the Grim Reaper! Enjoy!"

Demyx felt his face blush as they stepped outside, his mother spinning back into the kitchen again. He made a mental note to remind his mother than both he and Zexion were not children. Then again, she did this all the time. Zexion pulled up his mask as the trick-or-treaters started to appear, helping Demyx pass out candy, and on occasion, frighten a child. Though he couldn't see Zexion's face, Demyx was pretty sure the young man enjoyed the latter part.

They didn't talk much as they passed out the candy. Whatever had been on Zexion's mind when he had come over was apparently still lingering. Demyx was determined to get his to stay the night, and in the process, find out what was bugging him this time. If it was Kairi again, he would have no choice but to kill the girl. And with that thought, Demyx figured he should have been the one wearing the reaper costume.

After they had run out of candy, Demyx turned off the porch light, leading Zexion back inside the house. The weather was becoming a little chilly, and he shivered a little as he walked in. When Zexion pulled his mask down, it was clear to Demyx that he was cold, too. His cheeks were a rosy pink. Demyx's mother was sitting in the living room, curled on the couch and watching a movie. The scent of the cookies still lingered fresh in the air. Demyx looked to Zexion with a sigh.

"Feel like staying?" he asked blatantly, not giving himself time to chicken out of asking.

Zexion shrugged. "Sure. They know where I am. I don't really feel like being there anyway."

Demyx led them upstairs and to his room, waiting until they were out of his mother's hearing before questioning any further. Once they were there, he closed the door tightly, watching as Zexion took a seat on the bed. The slate-haired best friend smiled lightly, a sigh escaping his lips. He did a few shoulder rolls, the rubbed his own neck for a minute.

"What happened, Zex?" Demyx asked. "Is everything okay? Did they do something to you?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. My aunt and uncle are good to me, and Saix and I get along fine. It's just…here, my _real_ parents can't get ahold of me. Though they hardly deserve to be called that."

Demyx took a seat next to him. Zexion knew to keep going, that Demyx wanted to hear what he had to say.

"My mom called me earlier today, right before I was getting ready to come over here. So I stopped to talk to her, since I haven't heard from her since her and my father were in France. I told her…_everything_ that has been going on in my life. What's been going through my head, my grades, my college choices, the band and…a few other things. My mother knows everything about me. Despite what Saix says, there was a time when I was close with my parents. But now, it just seems that no matter what I do, I can't please them. And they aren't even here to see it. I asked her today if they were coming in for graduation when it gets here. You know what she said? 'We'll see.' That's what she told me." He sighed, shaking his head. "I thought that parents were supposed to be proud of their children, especially with these kinds of things. I just….It seems like ever since the boarding school incident, they just can't see me as anything else."

_Ah, the infamous boarding school incident._

Demyx knew this wasn't the time to pester Zexion about it. Right now, he needed to comfort his friend.

"I'm sure that they're proud of you, Zex," he consoled. "Some people just aren't good at admitting those things. Who knows, maybe they're secretly planning some kind of awesome party for your graduation and they don't want you to know. Like a huge surprise party!"

Zexion forced himself to keep from smiling, raising an eyebrow. "I hate surprises."

"Aw, come on, Zexy-"

"Demyx…"

"Sorry. Not all surprises are that bad! I'm sure if you think about it, you'll find some memories of surprises that were pleasant. Am I right?"

"Maybe. I've got too many other things to think about other than that right now."

"Oh, you just know I'm right!"

He placed a hand on Zexion's shoulder, not expecting the shockwave that traveled through his body at the touch. Zexion hadn't noticed, looking at the empty space in front of him. Demyx wondered if this could be his chance. His time for a confession. He just had to get Zexion out of this pissy mood first. He slowly moved behind his best friend, starting to massage the stressed-out teen's shoulders, noticing the tension in his muscles. If Zexion was freaking out, he did a good job of hiding it.

"Keep talking to me, Zex," Demyx said, his voice soothing. "It doesn't help to bottle it up. That's why your neck is bugging you. All of this tension in your muscles. I'm amazed you can walk. Do you know how lucky you are to have a friend like me?"

Zexion gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry, Dem. I've just…got a lot on my mind right now. And I mean a _lot_. Mostly…things I don't know if I want to talk about."

Demyx couldn't hold back. "Is this about Kairi again?"

"No! That part of my life is over. Trust me, this is the furthest thing from Kairi."

"Then what is it?"

Zexion stopped, moving away from Demyx. He stood, turning to face his best friend, the blond with a confused look on his face. For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to say something. But then he stopped, turned away, his hands hanging limply at his sides.

"I really can't talk about it Demyx. As much as I would like to tell you, I can't."

Demyx nodded. Though he was itching to know exactly what it was, he didn't press the issue. Just like he didn't push with the boarding school incident. Just how many things wasn't Zexion telling him? He pushed the thoughts away, standing and looking at his shorter friend's back. Maybe if he did a little talking, Zexion would feel comfortable saying what was bugging him and-

_And I just checked out his ass. What is wrong with you, Demyx?! He's still wearing a freaking robe for crying out loud!_

"Don't worry about it, Zex," Demyx spoke, trying to keep his focus on his friend's upper body. "Even best friends have secrets they don't share with each other. You don't have to be upset about it."

Zexion paused, then looked back to Demyx, a smirk on his face. "Wait. You have secrets, too?"

"Well, of course. Everybody does."

Now Zexion was smiling. "You. You…have secrets? How is that possible? What aren't you telling me?"

Demyx took a few steps back. Did Zexion just turn the tables on him?

"Y-yeah. I have a few. But they're nothing big, I mean. Nothing that you would care about."

"Really? Try me. You tell me one, and I'll tell you one of mine."

Demyx felt himself starting to panic. In a way, he felt like he had just lied to his best friend. There was only one secret that he hadn't told. The one secret he never wanted to share. At least, not like this. His eyes darted around the room, trying to think of something to say. But Zexion was looking at him, waiting. Expecting an answer. If he waited any longer, his best friend would know he was lying.

"O-okay," Demyx stuttered, stepping ahead to his original place. "I'll tell you. But…you have to promise not to freak out…

Zexion nodded. "Okay. I won't."

He took in a deep breath, readying himself for the confession.

"Zexion….I like you!"


	4. Secrets

Thank you again for the reviews! Here's Chapter Four. Hope you like it!

On with the show!

Zexion stared at Demyx, no clear emotion on his face. Demyx felt a panic coming on and wondered if his friend was about to bolt to the door. But the slate-haired teen didn't move, his visible eye narrowing, then widening as if he was thinking. He opened his mouth to speak, then decided against it, and went back to just looking at Demyx. After a few very long, grueling minutes, he took a few steps forward and sat on the bed.

"You…like me?" he repeated.

"Yeah."

"You mean…like as in…_like, like_ me?"

"…Yeah."

Zexion was silent again, his vision sweeping the room over and over. Demyx wasn't sure whether this was turning out to be a bad thing, or if this was a good reaction. So far, it was much better than what he had expected. Demyx came forward, sitting on his bed, further away from Zexion than normal. If he was planning on running, Demyx didn't want to give him more of a reason to do so.

"Wow, Dem," Zexion said, his voice quiet. "I…I don't know what to say."

Though it wasn't exactly the response he had wished for, Demyx was just glad that he didn't run away. Now he had to say something to _keep_ Zexion from freaking out.

"You don't have to say anything," Demyx spoke, avoiding his friend's eyes. "I know it's probably awkward for you, and I don't expect you to feel the same way that I do. I know you like girls, so don't worry about me. I'm okay. I'm just glad that we are friends. I've really just wanted to tell you because it's been eating away at me, and just saying it aloud makes me feel a whole lot better. So, if you don't mind, I'd still like to keep our friendship just the way it is."

Zexion frowned, shaking his head. "I don't know if I can do that. Just keep it the way it is…"

Demyx felt a pang in his chest. Now he was the one that wanted to run for the door. He really messed up now. He shouldn't have said anything. Zexion would probably leave, then tell everyone what had happened. He would quit the band, go away to college after high school, and never talk to anyone again. Hopefully, Demyx thought, when he chooses to leave, he doesn't get hit by a car.

Zexion stood, pacing a few steps. "There's just so much that you don't know about me, Dem. And this just changes the whole situation."

"Then just tell me, Zexion! Talk to me, please. Why can't you keep our friendship the same as it has always been?"

"Because, Demyx…."

He sighed, tucked the hair covering half of his face behind his right ear, only to have it fall back over his eye. All the time that Demyx had wanted to touch that beautiful blue-silver hair. All the times that he'd wanted to try to tuck it behind Zexion's ear, just to see the other half of that beautiful face. Everything…it was all about to be lost now.

Zexion looked at him again, hands falling to his sides helplessly. "Because I like you, too, Dem."

Demyx had to do a double-take. Had he heard that right? Zexion…liked him back? It was like music to his ears! But apparently, there was more to be heard because Zexion continued.

"All of these months, going on and off with Kairi, I couldn't figure out why I wasn't happy with her. Even when we would spend time together, I couldn't think right. I knew that I should have been paying attention to her, but it wasn't her that I was thinking about. All of my thoughts kept coming back to you….And I knew that what I _was_ feeling was a little more than what I _should have_ _been_ feeling. I tried to shake it off. That's the only reason I got back with her so many times. Trying to see if maybe it would wear off. But it didn't. And when you came to me that day after school, I was trying so hard not to tell you, because I was afraid it would ruin our friendship. That you would just freak out, run off…and maybe get hit by a car in the process."

Demyx laughed, thinking of when he'd joked with Vexen by saying the exact same thing.

"I've had these…feelings for a long time now," Zexion spoke, his voice calm. "And I just got to be so good at hiding them, I figured I would just keep the mask on. I mean, no one here, well, besides Saix, knows about my past. So I was able to just start over. And I think I tried so hard to do that just to please my parents. But today, I really started to think. I haven't been true to myself, and I can't keep doing that. When you invited me here for Halloween yesterday, I was so happy. And to be honest, I was a little worried about what I might do. But…to hear you actually come out and say that you like me…it changes everything."

"Why?" Demyx said, holding back tears. He didn't want Zexion to go.

"Because. I can't just go back to how it was. I mean, I like you, and you like me, so…"

Demyx paused. Maybe he was looking at this all wrong. Zexion wasn't ending their friendship. In fact, if he was right, then Zexion was-

"Zexion? Are you asking me out?"

For the first time since they'd met, Demyx actually saw Zexion blush. "Um…yeah, I guess I am."

Demyx could barely contain himself. He jumped up, smile taking over his face. Zexion looked surprised, but Demyx couldn't help it. He walked over to his best friend-wait, boyfriend-and squeezed him tightly, lifting the shorter teen off the floor. Once back on the ground, Zexion looked at Demyx, wide-eyed. For a moment, Demyx was confused before realizing he hadn't actually given Zexion an answer.

"Yes!" he spoke, excited. "I will go out with you. So…can I call you my boyfriend now?"

Zexion looked like he hadn't actually thought about that question. "Yeah. I guess that would be accurate, so it's only logical."

"Oh, you're so cute when you talk like a smart person!"

Demyx was so giddy that he was practically dancing around the room. Zexion, still calm despite his happiness, simply sat back on the bed, watching with a smile on his face. After exhausting himself, Demyx sighed, finally taking a seat next to him.

"So, if I may ask," Demyx smiled. "All this time that I've been crushing on you, you've been crushing on me. Even when you were dating Kairi."

"Correct," Zexion said, a slight smirk showing. "Even during that short time when _you_ were dating Axel in sophomore year."

"No! Don't ever say that! We _never_ talk about that."

Zexion laughed quietly. The two were silent for a few moments, a pleasant silence between two people who always knew they were more than friends. After a few minutes, Zexion stood, pulling his long black costume over his head so that he wore only his normal day clothes. As he folded the costume neatly, Demyx grinned deviously to himself. This way, it was much easier to well, check out Zexion's ass. Even if they were dating, he still didn't think it was appropriate to announce such a thing. At least, not yet…

"So, we're dating now," Demyx spoke, his voice low.

Zexion simply looked at him, taking his seat on the bed.

"Does that mean…I…can kiss you?"

Zexion didn't give him an answer in words. For a moment, the two locked eyes, Zexion's reading a little more fearful than Demyx's. It obviously wasn't his first kiss, but he didn't want to give Demyx a bad impression. Demyx, on the other hand, was just eager for the moment. He'd longed for this for years, and he was finally getting his wish.

It happened slowly, each of them inching closer to the other. They leaned in, each yearning for the feel of the other's lips, their noses rubbing together softly with affection. Demyx tilted his head slightly, making the connection. He was surprised with how soft Zexion's lips were, pleasant and warm. He tried not to smile as he heard the slate-haired boy take in a shaky breath between pecks. After a few minutes, Demyx blindly moved his hand over the bed, finding Zexion's hand that was holding him up. He covered the smaller hand with his own, gently caressing his knuckles and fingers. Zexion opened his mouth a little more, allowing Demyx to deepen the kiss. The blond took the opportunity, his tongue gliding around his boyfriend's mouth. It all seemed right. The feel of Zexion's hand under his, the spark of the kiss, the slight taste of peppermint from Zexion's kisses.

Demyx took the hand beneath his, gently moving Zexion's support from beneath him. Without breaking the kiss, Demyx guided his boyfriend onto his back. Demyx refrained from climbing on top of him, simply lying by his side, leaning in for their little make-out session. Zexion didn't pull away, and he didn't try to stop it. One of his hands held onto Demyx's nape, running through the blond's hair. The other remained in Demyx's soft grip. After nearly fifteen minutes of making out, he felt Demyx's hand break free, slowly sliding down his body. Down his chest, his stomach. Before it could get any lower, Zexion quickly grabbed the roaming hand, smiling as Demyx gently broke the kiss.

"We've only been dating for twenty minutes," Zexion said, his voice quiet and somewhat seductive. "Let's save _that_ for another time."

Demyx nodded and smiled, lying next to him, one arm stretched across Zexion's midsection. They were silent again, reveling in the glory from their kissing. Demyx smiled, tasting the peppermint that lingered on his lips. Zexion sure was a good kisser. And he was somewhat curious where he'd gotten the practice.

"Zex, can I ask you a somewhat personal question?"

Zexion shrugged slightly, still relaxed on the bed. "Sure."

"Did you ever kiss Kairi like that?"

"To be honest, no. I'm surprised that she never realized I wasn't into her. Her and I, we never did anything too romantic, and we rarely kissed. When we did, it was just a little peck. I was never truly interested in kissing her." He paused. "If you really want to know, Demyx, I've never kissed anyone like that."

"You've _never_ made out with anyone?"

"Not like that, no. I've had one kiss that lasted a few minutes, but nothing like what we just did. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. So you're…still….?"

Zexion laughed. "Yes, I'm a virgin. Why is that so hard to say?"

"…It's not! I just always assumed that…I don't know. I'm sorry."

"No, you don't have to be sorry. You can ask me whatever you want. I won't get mad. I'll tell you everything about me that you want to know. Well, at least, what you don't already know."

"Anything?"

"Sure. Ask away."

Demyx flashed a sneaky grin. "Okay. What did you do that got you kicked out of the religious boarding school?"

Zexion gasped. "You little sneak! Didn't you try to get this out of me last month?"

"Aw, come on, Zexy! I won't tell anyone! I've always wanted to know." He gave the sad puppy look. "Please?"

"Well, I guess it won't hurt, seeing as you already know what's been on my mind lately. It's really not even that bad, but the religious people didn't like it."

Demyx waited for the answer, but Zexion didn't speak. "So, tell me!"

"I got caught kissing another boy in the halls."

Demyx laughed. "You, what?!"

"Yes, that's my deep, dark secret. I didn't even know the boy really, and I don't think he was too happy about it. I was just itching to get out of that place so bad, and I know how religious buffs get about those kinds of things. So I just kind of attacked him in the hall when I knew the headmaster would be around."

"You really don't seem like the type to do that."

"I'm not. It was a desperate situation. And hey, it got me out of that place. Of course, I already knew I liked boys, so that wasn't the problem with me. I just had to work up the courage to do it. And, if I do say so myself, I did a fantastic job. My parents weren't, and still aren't happy about it. But…I don't really care anymore."

"Well, I'm glad you did it. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have met you."

Zexion smiled. "Me too. Hey, what do you think the others are going to say when they find out about us?"

"Well, seeing as most of them already know how I feel for you, they'll probably be happy. Shocked, but happy. Except Saix. I don't know what he will think. I think he's the only one other than you that didn't know. I never told him because I was afraid he would tell you."

"That's funny. If you would have told him, he would have told you that I liked you."

"So we could have been together a lot sooner?" Demyx smiled, contently. "That's okay. I'm glad for what we have now. You know, Zexy, this sleepover is going a lot better than I planned."

"Then you planned? So the overnighter _was_ your idea and you tried to blame it on your mom! You _are_ sneaky. I'll have to keep that in mind."

"Yes," Demyx said, unable to control his grinning. "You keep that in mind."


	5. Thoughts

"Well, it's about freaking time you guys got together," Axel sighed, leaning his chair back on two legs. "I wasn't sure how much of the moping I could take."

They had waited for school on Monday, deciding it would be easiest to reveal their relationship at the lunch table. That meant they would only have to explain the story once, and Zexion let Demyx do all the talking, taking the chance to catch up on some reading. Along with all the band members, Vexen, Larxene, Luxord and Roxas sat at the circular table. They all had similar reactions, though some of them were mixed with irritation, mainly because of Luxord.

"Well, I'm glad for you guys, too," Luxord grinned, sweeping away some of Saix's and Vexen's munny and reeling the cards in for a shuffle. "As long as you guys are happy, that's what counts."

"Luxord!" a sharp male voice shouted from across the cafeteria. Mr. Highwind started toward the table. "How many times do I gotta tell ya there's no gamblin' in school?"

The history teacher grabbed the deck of cards from Luxord's hands with a glare.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Highwind!" Luxord said, pleadingly. "If you give me the cards back, I swear I won't get them out again!"

"Nope. Not fallin' for that one again. You can feel free to swing by my classroom and collect 'em after school."

And with that, the teacher stuffed the cards in his pocket and walked off. Luxord feigned sorrow for a moment. But after the teacher was out of sight, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a new deck.

"Have I ever mentioned how glad I am that Mr. Highwind is not an English teacher?" Zexion asked, not looking away from his book.

Vexen gave and exasperated sigh. "I agree. Count me out this game, Luxord. You've cleaned me out."

"Me, too," Saix said with a grimace.

"I'll play," Roxas chimed in. "I've got a little munny."

"Hell, count me in, too," Axel said, shooting a grin at Roxas. "I'll show you guys how to _really_ play some poker."

Saix glanced at Demyx, sipping his soda. "I'm glad for you guys, too. Though I will admit, I'm surprised Zexion didn't tell me that night he stayed at your house."

"Zexion stayed at your house?" Marluxia gasped. "Overnight?"

"Ooh," Axel grinned, again. "What did you two do?"

"Nothing, Axel," Demyx said, feeling is face blush a little. "Not that it would be any of your business if we did. Which we _didn't_!"

Larxene giggled, hugging up to Marluxia. "Don't be so shy about it, Demyx. You're blushing."

"N-no! I swear we didn't do anything!"

"Did you call Lexaeus like you were supposed to?" she said, turning back to the pink haired male.

Marluxia nodded. "Yes, I did. He said he can help us. He'll be in town around noon that day, so he is willing to help us start getting ready whenever we are ready."

"Your gig starts at nine, so you might want to make sure you are there early enough to set up."

"Damn it!"Axel yelled, watching Luxord scoop away his munny. "No!"

Roxas frowned as his munny was swept away, too. "I thought you knew how to play, Axel."

"Come over my house after school and I'll show you how to play…"

"Shut up, you pervert!"

Axel had been blatantly hitting on Roxas for over a month now, and the blond always refused his advances. Nevertheless, he blushed furiously every time Axel tried to throw an arm over his shoulders. Which was his next move. He attempted to move closer to Roxas, who in turn, scooted his chair closer to Zexion on his other side. Zexion slid closer to Demyx, eyes still in his book, and Demyx grinned. After a finishing his chapter just moments later, Zexion marked the page in his book, removed his small reading glasses, and placed his things in his schoolbag.

"Well, I'm heading to the library for the last fifteen minutes of this period," he informed, looking at Demyx.

Demyx grinned. "I'll come with you. Just to…keep you company."

They swung their bags over themselves, waving to the others as they headed for the hallways. The cafeteria was on the basement floor, the library on the second floor. Axel sent each of them a smirk as they walked away, Demyx feeling his face blush once again. When did he become so shy about these things? Especially with Axel. He shrugged it off as he followed Zexion up the stairs to the second floor and down the hall to the library.

The library was completely silent, being the least used area of the school. Most of the students hated to read. But Zexion was one of the few who loved it, and Demyx knew that. The librarian was out for her lunch period, too, not a single other soul in the large space. Zexion walked to the back of the library, stopping at an area of tables clustered behind a few shelves. Demyx had followed him here before, but that was ages ago. Zexion sighed as he places his bag on the table, not sitting down. Demyx mimicked his boyfriend's motions.

"So, the library…" Demyx spoke, keeping his voice low.

Though he knew no one else was there, it was nature for him to be quiet in the library.

"Yeah," Zexion smiled. "I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold back."

"Hold back from what?"

"…Doing this."

He leaned forward and planted a passionate kiss on Demyx's lips. Demyx responded, tongue slipping into his partner's mouth. It was a familiar feeling now, since they'd made out most of the weekend. Yet it still felt so rushing, like the first time all over again. And the taste of peppermint once again. It never seemed to go away. The shorter male's hands gripped firmly around Demyx's back, and Demyx allowed his own hands to roam up the back of Zexion's shirt. After a few teasing minutes, they broke the kiss, sucking in deep breaths.

"You are so lucky that people could walk in on us," Demyx smiled, picking up his bag. "Because if we wouldn't get caught, I would do so many things to you."

"Really?" Zexion smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You'd better watch out. I might enjoy that. Come on. The bell is about to ring."

Demyx raised his own eyebrows as he tailed Zexion out of the library. He never thought he would _ever_ hear something like that come from Zexion. As the shorter male had predicted, the bell ending that class period sounded as they walked into the halls, each of them heading for their next class. Unfortunately, they had to part ways. Demyx was going to Mr. Strife's Math class, and Zexion was heading for Ms. Gainsborough's English class. Before separating, they shared a quick peck, not releasing hands until they couldn't reach each other anymore.

Word of their relationship passed throughout the school fast (mainly thanks to Axel's big mouth). Many people were surprised, especially to hear that Zexion was dating a guy. Kairi didn't really seem phased by it. In fact, she seemed happy. She'd approached Demyx after last period, congratulating him and telling him that she'd always suspected that Zexion wasn't "completely" straight. She was just glad that he was finally happy in a relationship.

Band practice passed like normal. Today, though, they concentrated a little harder on making sure every note was right. With a gig at Xaldin's bar coming up, they didn't want to risk displeasing the crowd. After practicing the set they had planned, they started to come up with some new music, though it lacked lyrics. Demyx knew that when the time was right, the words would come to one of them. That was yet another thing he loved about his band. Though he did most of the songwriting, the others contributed too. Sometimes even Larxene would help, and on one occasion, Vexen.

After everyone had cleaned up and started to leave, Demyx approached his boyfriend, a smile on his face. Zexion stuffed his bass into its bag, along with the notes of their new music. Saix rushed out of the garage as he saw Demyx move, not wanting to intrude on the moment. The others were already gone, leaving the two alone. Zexion looked at Demyx curiously as he turned around.

"Will you be staying today?" Demyx questioned, hands snaking around Zexion's waist.

Zexion struggled to get his bass strapped to his back, then wrapped his hands behind the blond's neck. "I would love to. But, unfortunately, I can't."

"Aw, Zexy, why not?"

"I…can't tell you. It would…kind of…ruin it."

"Ruin what? Come on, tell me, Zexy!" Next came the puppy dog eyes.

"Damn it, Dem, I wish you wouldn't do that!" He laughed as Demyx whimpered like a puppy. "Fine. I'm got an interview at the pizza shop down the street. I…need to save some munny."

"For college?"

"…Yeah."

"You're lying! Tell me the truth!"

"Well, part of it is for college. And…your birthday is coming up soon, so I wanted…to get you something special."

Demyx was touched. "Aw, that's sweet, Zexy! But you don't have to do that."

"I know. I want to. Besides, I'm kind of…in trouble for skipping out on my chores all weekend to be with you. So I have to go kiss ass and make up for that. I'll stay another time, okay?"

"Okay. Hey, maybe if you find a job, I'll try to get one with you. Or would that be too much?"

Zexion smiled. "No. There's no such thing as too much." They shared a short kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dem."

Later that night, Demyx was lying in bed, waiting to fall asleep. He found his thoughts wandering. He'd hung up with Zexion just a few minutes ago. It was 2:47 in the morning, and they both had to get up and go to school in a few hours. Zexion had informed that he had gotten the job, though he knew he would hate it. He would only be working a few hours each week, but was just glad that he could start saving some money. He'd also thrown hints around of Demyx's gift, but wouldn't let on to what it was. Then, they'd just stayed up talking about everything, mostly pointless conversation. But Demyx couldn't recall ever loving a phone call more.

But once the conversation had ended and he curled up in bed, he couldn't stop thinking. Though some of them were good thoughts, some of them were bad, too. He had never been happier in his life than he was right now. His band mates were still around, and he was with Zexion. But before he would know it, the school year would be ending. They would be graduating. Then they would go their separate ways. Both he and Zexion had applied to the same school, Twilight University, just a few miles away. But what if Zexion got accepted and he didn't? Let's face it; Zexion's grades were _always_ better than most people's. Demyx's slipped between average, and sometimes below. And Zexion had also looked into a college across the country. What if he chose to go there instead? What would happen with Demyx? And what about the band? He really didn't want to lose the band. They were all good friends. But the band really held them together. Without the band after high school, well…they might just slip away.

Demyx turned on his side. His bed was a full-size, and he looked to the spot where Zexion had stayed during the weekend. It was empty. Demyx had decided to make himself stay on just one side of the bed while he slept, instead of sleeping in the middle like he used to. The other side was Zexion's, even if he wasn't there. He snuggled his face into the empty pillow, where Zexion had rested his head. It still smelled like his hair. A soft, citrus-like scent, from his shampoo no doubt. Demyx had noticed the smell many times before, and it always made him smile. He'd never imagined Zexion to be a citrus-shampoo kind of guy. But he'd also never imagined Zexion would date him, either.

With that thought, he focused on happier things. He still had the rest of the school year to worry about his problems. Right now, Zexion was his. _All_ his. And before he finally drifted into a peaceful sleep, he found himself wondering…

_What could Zexion possibly want to get for me that's so special?_


	6. Never Say No

**Special ****Thank you**** to dreamercat21, Sadist-Schemer, 6-The-Cloaked-Nocturne-9, Kitty-Cat-Kauri, Tenchu-Jinchu, and aydlee A.K.A my reviewers. This story is basically for you, so I hope you are enjoying it!!**

* * *

Each band member had been fairly calm about their upcoming gig the entire week. That is, up until Friday actually rolled around. They'd each managed to stay home from school, Axel bragging about how it was not a problem for him, while a few of the members had to beg for permission. Larxene also accompanied them, which wasn't out of the ordinary. But Axel had managed to talk Roxas into skipping out to see them practice and maybe tag along. Of course, during school that week, Zexion and Demyx had stumbled upon the two making out in the halls. Roxas still denied being attracted to Axel, but he no longer _acted_ that way.

So far, the day had been a disaster. They'd decided to meet in the garage at noon. It started with Axel running late, still practically pulling his pants on as he rushed up the street. While exiting the house that morning, Zexion accidentally banged his bass bag off the doorframe hard enough to break off the top tuning peg. Needless to say, he was not happy. Saix broke a string during the first song, and a speaker on Marluxia's keyboards started fading in and out (which fixed itself after a few bangs). So far, Demyx's old sitar was the only thing that hadn't failed them. Despite their setbacks and a quick trip to the music shop down the street, they managed to pick up and form a good practice session.

Their friend Lexaeus showed up at around four o'clock. He'd graduated a few years earlier, then went to Twilight University. He was a large fellow, and was always willing to help his old friends when they needed it. He drove a beat-up black van, big enough to squeeze all of the equipment in and the band members. Not to mention he was good at lifting heavier things when they were setting up. He'd stayed to listen to the group practice a few songs, then they dismantled Axel's drums, and packed all of their equipment into the van. Lexaeus thought it would be nice to go out for dinner and do some catching up. So they squeezed into the van and made their way to a burger shop in town.

"So," Lexaeus said as they sat at their table, enjoying lunch. "What's new? Who's your new friend?"

"This is Roxas," Axel introduced. "He's still kinda new to town."

"He's Axel's new boyfriend," Larxene laughed. "They just won't admit it."

Lexaeus smiled. "Is that so?"

"Shut the hell up, Larxene," Axel snapped, then shot a devilish smile at Demyx. "So, Lexaeus, have you heard about Demyx's new boyfriend yet? Have you heard who he's fuc-"

Demyx's face flushed furiously. "Shut up, Axel!"

"Oh, Demyx has a boyfriend, too?" Lexaeus asked. "Who is it?"

Axel's evil grin never wavered. "Zexion."

Lexaeus didn't seem surprised. "I thought you two might end up together. I mean, after the whole boarding school incident, I kind of figured you might like guys."

Now Zexion blushed. "What?! How do you know about that?"

"Saix told me."

"Saix! You swore you'd never tell!"

Saix shrugged. "…Oops?"

"Wait a minute!" Marluxia spoke up. "_He_ knows what the infamous boarding school incident is, and _we_ still don't? Zexion, we see you everyday! How come you won't tell us?"

"Don't worry about it, Marluxia," Zexion sighed. "It's not important."

"I'll bet he told Demyx!" Larxene said with a grin twice as devilish as Axel's. "Make him tell!"

"Tell us, Demyx!" Marluxia demanded. "He won't get mad at _you_."

Demyx shook his head. "N-no! I can't tell! I swore I wouldn't!"

"So you do know!" Axel grinned. "Well, then in that case, I guess I'll just have to give Zexion every little detail of everything you and me did while we were dating…._Everything_."

Zexion glared at Axel for a minute, wondering if that was punishment for him, or for Demyx. "…Just tell them, Demyx."

"…Okay," Demyx shrugged. "He kissed another boy in front of the headmaster."

Roxas looked disappointed. "I didn't even know what the boarding school incident referred to, but I thought it would be something much worse."

Marluxia agreed. "Me too. I thought you like, spray painted bad things around the grounds with your head spinning while you puked up green pea soup. But if we would have known this sooner, you and Demyx could have been together a lot earlier."

"Yeah, yeah," Zexion sighed. "We've already been though that part."

Axel smirked at Zexion. "Lots and _lots_ of sex."

"Shut up, Axel!" Demyx cried, face redder than an apple. "That's not true, Zexy."

"Don't worry about it, Dem," Zexion said. "It doesn't bother me."

"Oh, really?" Axel smiled. "Well, in that case, we also-"

"Shut up!" Demyx was nearing tears.

"Maybe we should go," Roxas suggested. "Before someone draws blood."

Since everyone had finished eating, they did as Roxas suggested. But it didn't stop Axel's harassing (or as he called it 'enlightening'). Fortunately, Roxas was able to shut him up so Zexion didn't have to hear about the sexual exploits he tried to share, whether fictional or not. They headed straight to Xaldin's pub, where the owner was standing patiently in the back lot, smoking a cigarette. He smiled as they piled out of the van, practically trampling each other in the process.

"Little crowded?" Xaldin asked with a smile.

"Aw, sweet!" Axel grinned, walking toward the pub owner. "Cigarettes! Can I have one? Reno won't let me smoke in the house, and these guys don't let me smoke at band practice."

Xaldin laughed. "I don't supply cigarettes to high school kids, even if they are of age. I'm not losing my bar over some confusion like that."

Axel sulked while Larxene stepped in front of him. She bobbed her head to the side and both she and Xaldin stepped away from the others. The rest of the group returned to the van, starting to unload the set. They removed the smaller instruments first, Axel grabbing, then passing to its owner. He grabbed Zexion's bass first and went hand it to him, but unfortunately dropped it to the ground.

Zexion scowled, then glared at Axel for a brief moment. "Hasn't my poor bass been through enough today? You'd better hope the three remaining tuning pegs are still there!"

Demyx bit his lip as Zexion walked toward the bar, patting his bass bag like a wounded child. He quickly grabbed his sitar as Axel passed it to him, then followed Zexion inside before anyone else. They walked to the stage, as they had done many times, and started to organize their things. For some reason, Demyx suddenly felt extremely nervous about what he was about to say to Zexion, and it was showing.

"Hey, Zexy," Demyx asked shyly. "Do you…have to work tomorrow night?"

Zexion glanced at him, concerned. "No, the manager is making me work for a few hours in the morning. You'd be surprised how many different types of _breakfast_ pizzas people think up. Why, Dem? Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself all of a sudden."

"Well, my mom is going out of town for a business trip for a few days. She leaves tomorrow and won't be back until Monday night. I…don't like being at the house by myself at night, so I was going to see if you…would stay with me?"

Zexion placed a hand on the blond's shoulder, giving him a soft smile. "Sure, Dem. Wow, you really had me scared for a minute. Is that all you wanted?"

He nodded, smiling.

"Don't scare me like that." Zexion gave a quick laugh. "Why did you get so…weird all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. I'm always scared when I ask you to stay over. I'm…always afraid you'll say no."

"Dem, I could never say no to you."

Demyx's smile brightened again. Zexion just had that effect on him. He was about to lean over and give him a passionate kiss…but Axel walked in.

"Now, now, don't stop what you're doing because of me," Axel cackled.

Zexion smirked. "I hope you drop that drum on your foot."

"How about I drop _this_ drum on his foot?" Marluxia asked, carrying in the large bass drum. "Get out of the way! This thing is heavier than it looks!"

"Why didn't you have Lexaeus carry that in?" Demyx questioned.

"Well, he seems to have gotten absorbed in a conversation with my lovely Nymph and Xaldin. Apparently, we aren't allowed to get in on it."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I guess it's private."

Roxas entered next, carrying more of the drummer's supplies, Saix following behind doing the same. A few moments later, Larxene, Xaldin, and Lexaeus came in, each carrying different musical items. The stage wasn't very big, usually being used for comedy acts and karaoke. But Xaldin had always insisted on them playing in the bar, being good friends of Larxene's. He even admitted that he liked the music, saying that some of his friends would, too, but they never showed up. They set everything up, connecting cords, flicking switches and adjusting lighting. After the sound check, they even did another practice session before the bar opened. Shortly before they were about to start their show, Vexen and Luxord showed up, briefly rousing suspicion from Xaldin, but convincing him they knew the band in the end.

Demyx couldn't shake the nervousness as they prepared to walk on stage. Zexion stood next to him, calm as ever. How could he do that? Neither Zexion nor Saix did much talking to people other than their friends, yet Zexion remained steady. Demyx glanced at him, his hands shaking.

"How do you do that?" he asked. "How aren't you nervous?"

"Not nervous?" Zexion repeated. "Are you crazy? I'm nervous as hell!"

"But you don't look it."

"Well, I suppose I'm not as nervous as you are. I mean, you have to play that sitar _and_ sing lead vocals. I guess I'd be a lot more nervous if I had to do that."

"Thanks, Zexy. I don't really feel much better."

Zexion laughed. "Come on, Dem. You've done this before. Just think, I'll be only a few feet away, just as nervous as you are." He smiled. "You'll do fine. You always do."

They walked out onto the stage after Larxene announced them, each going to their instrument of choice. Demyx looked over the audience, taking in each face. He saw Luxord and Vexen smiling up at him, while Larxene, Xaldin, and Lexaeus gathered by the bar. The rest of the faces were unknown. Before he even had a chance to consider running off, the band kicked up their first song. Without a thought, Demyx joined in. It was a natural flow, just like the blood in his veins, and Demyx wasn't even sure why he had been nervous. The words flowed from his lips, mixing with the heavy music.

"_I will break into a thousand pieces,_

_Wishing that I knew the reasons,_

_Behind you and every little sick thing that you do._

_I will fall into the stars,_

_Wishing only to find my heart…"_

He loved the feeling as he sang, seeing the people bobbing their heads to the music. _Their_ music. It was everything he could want. He quickly glimpsed Zexion out of the corner of his eye. It only made him happier, seeing the little bassist bounce along with his bass line. Demyx made a mental note to pinch his cheeks later, though he wasn't sure how well Zexion would take that. He loved his band right now, everything about them. Though, he reflected, it wouldn't hurt for them to have some happier lyrics sometimes.

The entire show went rather well, and Demyx was pleased with the crowd's reaction. They played for a good part of the night before the crowd started to die down. When he looked at the clock, he felt kind of bad. It was almost two o'clock in the morning, and he recalled that Zexion had to work in the morning. The bassist already looked tired, and they still had to break everything down and pack up.

"Hey, Zexy," Demyx said, rubbing his boyfriend's shoulders as he packed his bass away. "Why don't you go rest in the van? The rest of us will take care of this part."

Zexion shook his head, quite enjoying the shoulder rub. "No, I can help."

"But you have to work, and you're tired. I can tell."

"I'll be fine, Dem. Don't worry about me. I'll just go to bed when I get home."

Demyx nodded, and the band tore down their set and packed everything into the van as quickly as possible. They thanked Xaldin before leaving, then once again piled into the van for the short ride home. He sat in the middle of the second row, between Zexion, on his left, and Larxene, on his right. They were all fairly silent during the trip, all of them exhausted from their busy day. Demyx glanced around at everyone, all with tired eyes, flashing yawns in turn.

But then he felt a small amount of pressure on his left shoulder. He glanced over slowly to see what it was. Zexion had fallen asleep, his head lulled to the side and resting on Demyx. He smiled, raising his right hand and stroking Zexion's slate-colored hair gently. They were almost home, and Demyx didn't want to have to wake him.

"Lexaeus," Demyx said, quietly and trying not to move. "Could we go to Saix's and Zexion's house first? He fell asleep, and I know he has to work early."

"Sure," Lexaeus answer, his voice also low. "If you guys want, I can just bring the instruments to your house tomorrow so that we don't have to unpack tonight."

Demyx gave a slight nod. "Okay."

As requested, they pulled up in front of Zexion's and Saix's house first. Living across the street, Axel climbed out of the van, too, followed by Roxas who also lived nearby. Axel was pleasantly surprised when he realized that a few days ago. Saix got out, too walking to the sliding door near Zexion. But before he even started to get out, Demyx could already hear the sound of Reno's voice from his porch.

"Where the _hell_ have you been, Axel?! I've been worried sick. I was just about to call the cops to look for you….You had a gig and didn't tell me? Ugh, I swear, one of these days, I'm going to kill you…"

Demyx snickered silently, then looked at Saix. "I'll carry him in. Will you open the doors for me?"

Saix nodded, helping Demyx out of the van. Demyx had been to the house before, but not nearly as frequently as Zexion had been to his. After all, they always had band practice at his house, so it was just natural to hang out there. Besides, Zexion didn't have any video game systems. Just a room of bookshelves full of books, a desk, a TV and a few DVDs, a Rubik's cube, and a ton of crossword puzzle books. Sometimes, Demyx wasn't sure how he survived in that room. But that was yet another reason he loved Zexion, strange as he might seem.

He followed Saix into the house quietly, seeing as the adults were already asleep. Lexaeus waited, parked in the driveway with the headlights off, trying to disturb the neighborhood (unlike Axel and Reno). They crept up the stairs, where Saix pushed open the door to Zexion's room, then walked to his own.

Demyx flicked on the small lamp near the doorway, not wanting to turn on the blinding light on the ceiling. He slowly walked over to Zexion's double-sized bed, resting the sleeping teen comfortably on it. After pulling a small throw-sized blanket onto his boyfriend, he turned and headed for the door. He glanced back over his shoulder, a smile creeping over his face. Zexion looked so adorable. Looking back in front of him, he reached for the lamp to turn it off.

"Dem?" Zexion's tired voice said. "Where…are you going?"

Demyx smiled lightly. "I have to get home. It's late, you should get back to sleep."

"…Stay."

"Huh?"

"Stay with me. Please?"

Demyx smiled brighter now. "…Okay. Just let me go tell Lexaeus, okay?"

Zexion fidgeted a little, moving to his side, giving a quick nod and closing his eyes. Demyx quietly slipped back down the stairs and to the door. He gave Lexaeus a quick wave, and understanding what it meant, Lexaeus started up his van, and drove away, a smile on his face. Demyx shook his head, closing the front door and locking it, figuring that Saix had already fallen asleep without doing so. He went back upstairs to Zexion's room and closed that door, too. He grinned, glimpsing the figure on the bed. Zexion had already fallen back asleep. Then, he reached over and turned off the lamp and went to the bed. He knew he would sleep well with Zexion just being beside him.

* * *

So what do you think? Almost time for a...lemon? Opinions and suggestions are welcome!! And don't worry, you'll find out what Zexion is getting for Demyx soon!


	7. Truth

Just a warning, this chapter will be a little graphic, so don't read it if it makes you uncomfortable!

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The sun was shining through the open blinds in Zexion's room when Demyx awoke the next morning. It seemed incredibly bright at first, but once his eyes adjusted, it was pleasant. The tree outside the window didn't have any leaves left on it, the chill of mid-November chasing them away. He smiled, glancing around the room, then turned on his side to look at his boyfriend. But Zexion wasn't there. He glanced over at the digital clock on the nightstand. 9:13. Zexion should still be there. He didn't have to be at work until ten, and it only took him fifteen minutes to walk there. Demyx yawned, sitting up slowly.

"Hey, Sleepyhead," Zexion said as he walked into the room.

He was already dressed in his work uniform, simple black pants and a red shirt with the store's logo on the left chest. His hair was wet from the shower and he was toweling it as he walked toward the bed. Demyx smiled, kissing Zexion as he sat down. Saix walked by the open doorway, groaning somewhat drowsily and sending a wave their way. Zexion stood again, grabbing a comb from his dresser and running it through his hair.

"I'm glad that you stayed," he said, hair automatically falling over his right eye. "I guess I was more tired than I thought I was last night. I don't even remember you carrying me in here. The last thing I remember is waking up and telling you to stay. And I'm glad you did."

"Now I get to spend three nights with you," Demyx smiled. "Are you still going to stay with me while my mother is gone?"

"Yeah. I'll pack some things now so I can just run inside and grab them after work. And get out of this stupid uniform. I'm only working four hours, so I won't be too long. Will…your mom be mad that I'm there while she's gone?"

"Of course not! Mom loves you! Why would she mind?"

"I don't know….She isn't mad that you…"

Demyx raised his eyebrows. "You mean that I'm gay and I'm dating you? No way! She's known about me being gay for years. And trust me, after dating Axel, you're like a godsend to her."

Zexion smiled lightly, sitting on the bed again. "That's good. You're…lucky to have such an understanding parent."

"Zexy, have you…told your parents yet?"

He sighed, shaking his head slowly. Demyx could tell he was bringing up a sensitive subject. "No. My aunt and uncle know, and they're really good about it. But…my parents, they aren't as…open to things like this. That's why they sent me here after the boarding school incident. Well, that's why my mom sent me….My dad hasn't really talk to me since. Even when I talk to my mom on the phone, he doesn't say a word. I actually kind of talked to my mom about it the last time we spoke, but she gave me the 'It's just a phase' speech. And…I know that I said I don't care last time I talked about them but…I guess I just wish they would understand and…still love me."

Zexion really looked like he wanted to cry, but he was holding it back. He blinked a few times, stifling a sniffle, then stood up and turned away. Demyx's heart stung, and he stood, walking over to Zexion and wrapping his arms around him.

"They still love you, Zexy," he said, his voice soothing. "You're their son. Even if they don't approve of the things you do, that doesn't me they don't love you. Look at me."

Zexion turned to face him, seeming embarrassed at losing his calm façade.

"Sometimes it just takes people a while to get used to things they aren't used to. I mean, before my father died, he was the same way. But he accepted it over time. His exact words were, 'Demyx, I know that I will never be able to like your sexual preference. But you're my only son, and you could never do anything to make me not love you.'" He paused. "Or something along those lines."

Zexion smiled. "You always know just what to say, don't you. Well, we'll see if you opinion changes when you get the chance to meet them someday. If they ever decide to come around." He sighed, glancing at the clock. "I need to get going. I don't want to chance being late. Guess I'll have to pack when I get home."

"You're walking?"

Zexion nodded, slipping on a zip-up hoodie. "I always do."

"Well, I'll walk with you!"

"But it's the opposite direction from your house. You'll have to walk all the way back."

"That's okay. I don't have anything else to do."

Zexion smiled. "Okay."

* * *

"Well, you are!"

Demyx glanced into the kitchen as his mother called to him. She stood slowly, watching him as he took off his shoes. Her suitcase was already packed and waiting near the steps. Demyx knew that meant she would be leaving soon. Though he never liked to see his mother leave for these infrequent business trips, he was somewhat excited to be alone with Zexion for the next two days. Perhaps he should tell his mother that he would be here…

"Sorry, Mom!" he said, hugging her as she met him. "I didn't mean to worry you. We ended up playing really late last night, then Zexy fell asleep in the van on the way home, and I took him up to his room, and he just asked me to stay, so I said yes, and I didn't want to call and wake you up."

She laughed as her son rambled on. "Well, it's okay. As long as you are okay. Besides, I thought I heard some yelling that woke me up coming from _all the way_ down there. I figured it was Axel's brother…Oh, what's his name again?"

"Reno. Mom…while you're gone, I'm going to have Zexion over. Is that okay?"

"Of course! He's welcome here anytime. As long as he's with you, he's a part of the family. You make sure he knows that, okay?" She gave him another hug and kissed his cheek. "I have to leave now. I wasn't going anywhere until I knew you were safe. If you need me, you call my cell, no matter what time it is. Oh, and Demyx."

He looked at her. "Yeah?"

"I won't be here, so I can't stop you from…doing anything, so…don't get too wild, okay?"

He blushed, catching her meaning. "Mom! W-we'll be fine. Don't worry about us!"

"I know you will."

* * *

After his mother had gone, Demyx had taken a quick shower and cleaned up the house a bit. Lexaeus had stopped by around noon to unload the instruments, which they did on their own, then left to go back to college. Zexion was done with work at two o'clock, so Demyx guessed he arrive around three. But four o'clock rolled around, then five, and still no sign of Zexion. He was starting to worry. Had something happened to him on his way home? Did someone kidnap him? Or had he just lost his interest in being with Demyx and decided to stand him up?

Just as the final thought crossed his mind, the doorbell rang. Demyx rushed to the door, unlocked it (he never left it unlocked when his mother wasn't home), and pulled it open. Zexion was standing there, a backpack strapped on his back, and a dismal expression on his face. Demyx knew something was wrong. He pulled Zexion inside and relocked the doors, then waited for the slate-haired teen to speak. But he didn't.

"Zexy? What happened?"

Zexion took his shoes and backpack off, then looked at Demyx. "Bad day, I guess. They were training me for counter today since I already know the pizza routines. And I had a whole bunch of mean customers. Then I came home and my mom called. She told me that they're coming to town around Christmas."

"Well, that's not all bad."

"…I told her, Dem. I told her everything. I told her that I'm gay, and that no matter what she says, or what Dad says, it's not going to change. And I told her…about you. She told Dad, and he did a little bit of yelling in the background. He might not come with her. But I don't care about that."

"…Then, what is it, Zexy?"

He sighed. "She wants to meet you."

"Well, that's not all bad, either!"

"Yes, it is, Dem! I know what she's going to do. She's going to try to drive you away from me. She will harass you, talk down to you, lie about me, and maybe even try to bribe you. Anything, just to get you to stay away from me so that I might date a girl. Then, if she wants to, she will drag me along with her when she goes back. I'm not eighteen yet, Dem. I won't have a choice."

Demyx suddenly felt worried. "But…but your aunt and uncle are your legal guardians, right?"

"By choice, yes, not by a court ruling. Dem…" Zexion paced in a few circles, running a hand through his hair. "If she tries that, I might run away. I couldn't bear for her to steal me away from here…away from you."

Demyx smiled gently, wrapping his arms around Zexion to stop his pacing. "It's okay, Zexy. We'll figure out something if that happens. Don't worry."

Zexion reached his arms around him, leaning his head on Demyx's chest. "Demyx…"

"Yeah?"

"…I love you."

Demyx smiled. It was the first time he said that. "I love you, too, Zexy."

They stood in silence for a few moments, simply wrapped in each other's embrace. Zexion was shaking slightly, and Demyx could tell that he was more upset about the situation them he seemed. He stroked the soft blue-silver hair, then squeezed the shorter teen even tighter. Zexion seemed to find this relaxing, his shaking subsiding. Once he had regained his composure again, he looked up at Demyx, still in his arms.

Then, he leaned up, planting a kiss firmly on Demyx's lips. Though Demyx was somewhat surprised at the change in mood, he kissed back. Zexion's fingers were clutching hard into Demyx's back as the kisses became deeper, full of passion. Within a few minutes, they were leaning against the front door for support, Demyx holding his partner firmly between himself and the door. He knew his mother would frown upon this, telling him to take it upstairs as he heard her voice in his head. Still, he didn't want to make Zexion feel uncomfortable, and decided to see how it played out.

But Zexion was making it difficult for Demyx to contain himself. The feeling of Zexion's hand beneath the back of his shirt, nearly clawing at his skin while the other hand drove through his hair, it was driving him mad! His own hands were creeping under Zexion's shirts, and he kept himself from just ripping both his over and undershirts off right there in the hallway. For his own sanity, Demyx thought about breaking the kiss and trying to think of some kind of excuse to make the teasing stop. After all, Zexion hadn't had sex before, and Demyx wasn't about to initiate it. He was still somewhat disappointed when Zexion broke this kiss. But he was even more surprised by what his slate-haired boyfriend said.

"Take me…"

There was no mistaking what he meant. Demyx was silent. He wasn't going to object, but he wanted to leave enough time for Zexion to think about what he'd just said. If he wasn't sure he wanted to do this, Demyx wanted him to have time to change his mind. After a few minutes of not speaking, Demyx simply took the smaller teen's hand, slowly leading him upstairs and into his bedroom and closing the door.

Zexion glanced at him, eyes darting around nervously. He didn't speak, and Demyx wondered if maybe he even remembered what he had said. After another few moments, Zexion stepped forward again, locking them in another passionate kiss, assuring Demyx he hadn't forgotten, or changed his mind. In fact, it was Zexion who started to remove Demyx's clothes before _he_ had a chance to object. Demyx responded likewise, peeling off layers of clothing in turns. Physically, it was clear that they were both ready, but as Demyx eased his soon-to-be lover onto the bed, he could feel Zexion shaking.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, seeing Zexion's eyes still darting around.

Zexion gave a quick nod, then blinked a few times. "Yes…"

"…Are you sure? If not, I won't-"

"Demyx….Please."

Demyx gave a soft smile. He reached over and opened the drawer to his nightstand, digging until he found what he was searching for. He knew he would be glad he saved the lubricant he'd bought what seemed like so long ago. Zexion was letting Demyx take charge, as he was somewhat clueless with what to do. He waited in silence as Demyx readied himself, then positioned his body above Zexion's. Then, as gently as he could, Demyx eased himself inside.

Almost instantly, Zexion cried out in pain. Demyx was going to just stop before he could hurt him more, but Zexion looked at him, expectantly. He thrust in a few more times, and Zexion whimpered a little. But he never said stop. Before long, he was adjusting, and his sounds changing to small moans of pleasure. Demyx pounded into him, enjoying the feeling of Zexion's fingers clutching the skin of his back. He couldn't stop now, not with his lover moaning and whispering his name this way. It was and amazing feeling, making love with the one he always thought unattainable. Though he was probably being a little rougher than he should have been, and the bed was squeaking rather loudly. But Zexion wasn't complaining, and if he was enjoying it, then so was Demyx. They were completely in sync. In fact, they were so in sync that they climaxed at the same time. At the same moment he released inside Zexion, he felt the warm liquid from his lover on his stomach.

After wiping himself off with a towel in his laundry basket, Demyx lied next to his lover. They were both heaving heavy breaths, filling their lungs with the much-needed oxygen. Zexion was curled under Demyx's arm, his own arm over Demyx's chest. A light glaze of sweat glistened on their bodies, despite the chill air outside. Zexion looked up at Demyx, the hair falling over his right eye again.

"What is it?" Demyx asked when his lover didn't speak.

Zexion smiled. "Nothing. I guess I was wrong. Today turned out to be a pretty good day. I hope the rest of the day will be just as fun…"

Demyx paused, then looked at Zexion when he didn't speak again. "Why are you quiet?"

"I'm not quiet. I'm thinking."

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking that the next two days are going to be quite enjoyable."

* * *

So, I hope that wasn't too bad! I haven't written too many of these things, so feel free to give opinions. Just try not to be too mean!

And you will find out what Zexion is getting Demyx in the next chapter. I haven't forgotten, I promise!


	8. Sweetest Song

Thank you to my loyal reviewers, once again. You know who you are! I love you guys!

And to anyone else who might be reading this story, I hope you are enjoying it. Could you please leave reviews? It helps motivate me to keep writing this story! I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Here's Chapter Eight! And don't worry guys, this isn't the end. I have a few more chapters I'd like to put up.

* * *

His alarm clock went off at the same time it did every school day, and he rose out of bed quickly. He dashed over to the window and looked outside, then frowned. It was early December, and Demyx was still waiting for the first snow. And from the looks of it, he wouldn't be getting the snow today. He stretched his arms above his head, looking back around his room. There was something different about today, and he looked back at his clock. It was 7:12. The moment it clicked to 7:13, his cell phone rang. He smiled as he answered.

"Happy Birthday, Dem!" Zexion's tired voice said on the other end. "I called on the minute you were born." He paused. "Wait. Your clock does say 7:13, right? Or is mine fast?"

Demyx laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Zexy. I knew you wouldn't forget!"

"Of course, I didn't forget. How could I? It's going to be a good day for you."

"It would be better if there was snow."

Zexion laughed. "I can't do anything about that. I'll see you soon, okay?"

He couldn't stop smiling, even as he ended the call. He knew it would be a good day. Especially if Zexion said it would. After glimpsing back through the window to see if even _one_ snowflake had fallen, he turned his attention back to the time, and zipped through his morning routine. He left his house at the normal time, met Larxene outside, and headed down the street to Zexion's house.

Zexion and Saix were already waiting on the porch. Another normal thing about the day. They met Demyx on the sidewalk, then turned to look at Axel's house to see if he was going to school today. Cue the backpack flying out the door, followed by Reno's foot literally kicking Axel outside. Then Reno's daily lecture.

"Get your _ass_ to school! And what did I tell you about smoking in the house? You're gonna burn the place down, you little pyro! Where do you plan on living after that?" Then something the others didn't expect, Roxas walked out behind Axel. "Roxas, please make sure he goes to school today. If he skips out, tell me. I'll give you ten munny, if you do."

Zexion shook his head as Axel and Roxas approached them and they started their way to school. "Here, Dem."

Demyx smiled as he was given a sealed blue envelope. A birthday card, no doubt. "Awe, thanks, Zexy!"

"That's not your gift. I wasn't going to drag your actual gift to school, so you'll have to wait until later for it."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Zexy. As long as I have you, I'm happy!"

"Nice one, Dem. I'll remember you said that."

They arrived at school, things continuing to go as they normally did. Demyx flowed through the motions, class after class, watching Luxord swipe everyone's munny at lunch, then sneaking away to the library with Zexion for the last few minutes of lunch. Back to class. On the way to last period Study Hall, Zexion had a suggestion: Why didn't they ask Mr. Leonheart for library passes? Demyx always knew his boyfriend was a genius. The teacher didn't even ask why. He simply wrote up the passes and sent them on their merry way.

They went to their normal, secluded spot in the back of the library, throwing their bags on the table. Demyx looked around cautiously. He didn't know if Zexion was planning something, but there were people in here! Including the librarian! He was relieved when Zexion simply took a seat at the table, and it must have been noticeable because Zexion grinned.

"Why did you _think_ I wanted to come here?" the slate-haired teen snickered.

"S-sorry," Demyx sputtered. "It's just…we usually….But we can save that for later! So, why did we really come here? You're not making me do homework on my birthday, are you?"

"Actually, no." Zexion's cheeks were dusting with pink. "There's something I wanted to give you, but…I didn't want anyone else to see it." He sighed, mumbling under his breath. "And now I'm wishing I didn't do this…"

Demyx grinned brightly. "What is it, Zexy? A secret?"

Zexion reached into his pocket and pulled out a rumpled sheet of paper. Slowly, he unfolded it and looked it over, blushing furiously. Then, he started to read, ever so quietly:

"_When we first met, you stole my heart away,_

_And never did I imagine where I'd be today._

_You light up my world with one precious smile._

_Even when it wasn't for me, I was praying all the while._

_And now that you're here and by my side,_

_Whoever said love isn't real…they lied._

_I can't help but smile every time you speak._

_The color of your eyes makes my heart skip a beat._

_All the worries I had from the past 'til today,_

_With you beside me, they all melt away._

_Every time you speak, my heart is on fire._

_You're all that I want, all I desire._

_And even if everyone in the world disapproves,_

_In the end I'll still be standing right here with you._

_And each time you speak, I love every single word._

_Because the sound of your voice is the sweetest song I've ever heard."_

Demyx was captivated. Even after he had finished reading, Zexion's cheeks refused to go back to their normal color. Demyx willed himself to speak, but he couldn't form a sentence. No one had ever written him a poem before! He knew he was smiling, probably a huge, stupid smile, but he couldn't help it. Zexion wouldn't even look at him.

"I know, it's terrible," Zexion finally spoke, folding the poem back up. "I should just take it and burn it right now, but-"

"No!" Demyx cried, stealing the paper away. "No! Don't you dare say that! I love it! I can't think of anything to say….I just love it so much! Can I…show it to everyone?"

The librarian walked by, hissing a "Shhhhh!" at them.

Zexion frowned, his voice low. "Do you have to?"

Demyx smiled brightly, nodding. "Yes. My mom is going to love this!"

"Well, I'm glad that you like it. It took me forever to get that thing to rhyme. I guess being a poet isn't my calling."

"Zexion," Demyx said, his tone now serious. "This is really the best gift I've ever received. I don't think I could get a better gift than one that comes from the heart."

The slate-haired teen flashed a sneaky grin. "We will have to see about that. I'm not quite done yet."

* * *

They walked home from school, like normal, the brisk wind chilling everyone. Demyx still had himself convinced he would get his snow today. He'd also declared that since it was_ his_ birthday, he would still be having band practice, and decreed that everyone would enjoy it. His mother had taken the day off of work and made one of her wonderful homemade birthday cakes Demyx loved so much. She gave him a birthday card with a healthy amount of munny, then a different assortment of gifts. Being an only child, even on your eighteenth birthday, definitely had its advantages.

After everyone made a quick pit stop at home, they started showing up one by one at Demyx's front door. Marluxia showed up first, Larxene at his side, and they presented him with a small package. Axel and Roxas were next, and they each handed him a card. Then came Vexen and Luxord, arriving at the same time by complete coincidence. Vexen handed him a small box, too, while Luxord gave him a card. Then came Saix and another birthday card. But Zexion wasn't with him? What was _with_ him and _never_ being on time?

"Are you ready to have some cake now?" his mother asked, interrupting his thoughts. "All of your friends are here."

"No, they aren't," Demyx said, sulking. "Zexion's not here yet."

"Demyx, turn around."

That was Zexion's voice! Demyx did so, and sure enough, Zexion was standing in the kitchen, a large, wrapped gift in front of him. Demyx was so surprised, he nearly fell over. Both his mother and Zexion looked quite pleased with themselves. He ran to Zexion and hugged him tightly, then glanced at him.

"How did you get in here?" he asked.

"You do have a back door, Dem," Zexion smiled. "And your mother was ever so kind to let me in."

"So you two planned this? You're the sneaky one, then."

"I told you I wasn't done yet. Go ahead, open it."

Demyx smiled, glimpsing the gift. Everyone in the room was silent.

_So they all know what it is._

It sure was big. Obviously in a box, based on the rectangular shape. He did a circle around it, trying to figure out what it might be. Zexion was just watching, waiting to see Demyx's reaction. Slowly, Demyx reached up, his fingers starting to claw at the wrapping paper that Zexion had so tediously placed on. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see what it was yet, feeling around as the last shards of paper fell to the floor.

And then he opened his eyes.

It was placed delicately in a box, secured in place by Styrofoam. The lid to the box was clear, allowing him to see the gift perfectly. He gasped in shock, then tore off the clear covering and removed instrument from its bedding. It was a beautiful blue sitar, perfectly painted and polished. He knew it had been expensive just by looking at it.

"Zexion…" he said breathlessly. "How did you…?"

Saix answered for him. "He did extra work in and around the house for six months, plus what he got from his job. But don't worry about that. He's been planning on buying you that thing for a _very_ long time."

Axel laughed. "So that's why _you _were cutting the grass every freaking day of summer? I guess it all makes sense now."

Zexion smirked at both Axel and Saix, then smiled at Demyx. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I…love it," Demyx replied, still surprised. "I just can't believe that you…did all of this for me. Earlier, and now this….I…" He felt a tear sneak out of his eye. "I'm crying!"

Zexion stepped forward, then smiled when Demyx started to laugh.

"No, they're good tears, don't worry! I really…I can't believe this. It's the most amazing birthday I've ever had! Thank you all!" He looked at Zexion as the others clapped happily. "And thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad that you like it."

* * *

Demyx was relaxing on his bed later that night, strumming his new sitar happily. His birthday had gone better than he'd planned. He had the poem that Zexion had written him unfolded on his bed, and he'd read the words so many times he practically had it memorized. A frame would be nice for it. Yes, then he could display it proudly to anyone who walked into the room. Zexion might be a little bit embarrassed, but he couldn't hold something like that as a grudge. He glanced around his room, seeking out a place to frame the poem. On his dresser would be nice. Or the nightstand. Then he could reach over and grab it every time he wanted Zexion near him. Though he had to admit the real thing was better.

He looked over to "Zexion's" side of his bed again. This birthday would have been even better if Zexion could have stayed. Everything was better with Zexion. School, sleeping, dreaming, band practice, birthdays…sex. Even if it did only happen once, it was still the best sex he'd ever had. (Not that he and Axel hadn't had fun, but come on, that was Axel. What _had_ he been thinking anyway?!) He knew that Zexion had enjoyed it, too, because he told him so. But Demyx felt somewhat sorry the day after, knowing that Zexion was _really_ feeling the aftereffects based on his slight limp. And still, a part of him couldn't wait for the next time he had a chance to trap his slate-haired lover in the bedroom alone.

He sighed, reading the poem over once again.

_The sweetest song I've ever heard._

_Sweetest song…_

He glanced over as his cell phone buzzed on the night stand. A text message from Zexion? But it was 11:42 at night! He read over the message a few times before it sunk in.

_Put on your gloves and coat and come outside._

Even in his text messages Zexion didn't abbreviate. Demyx smiled, standing and walking downstairs toward the door. He slipped on his shoes, coat, and gloves, and flicked on the porch light. After unlocking the door, he pulled it open, his mouth dropping with what he saw. Snow was cascading from the sky, white rifts already built up on the ground and still growing. Zexion stood on the walkway, bundled up in his winter clothes. Demyx was baffled. How had he not noticed the snow?

"Looks like you even got your snow," Zexion smiled, extending a hand to Demyx.

Demyx gazed in wonder as he took Zexion's hand and stepped off the porch. "Wow! I don't know how I didn't see that!"

"It's been snowing for nearly two hours! What have you been doing up there?"

"I was playing my new sitar and…reading your poem over and over. And besides, I have my blinds closed! I couldn't see outside."

Zexion shook his head, his cheeks pink from either embarrassment or the cold. Demyx wasn't sure. "You're still reading that thing? You should have let me burn it."

"Let you burn it? No way!"

"I'm not good at writing poetry. I'd be better at-"

He was cut off when Demyx tackled him, knocking him into the soft mounds of snow covering the yard. He landed on his back, Demyx on top of him, laughing gleefully. The sky was dark, beyond the still falling snow, the moonlight reflecting enough to light the area. After the shock wore off, he quickly threw Demyx away from him, swiftly rolling to another area of the yard and scooping up a handful of snow. Demyx laughed as a snowball hit his arm and Zexion snickered. He responded by returning fire, the soft snow somewhat hard to pack. Nevertheless, they enjoyed a snowball fight for a few minutes before Demyx attacked again, pinning Zexion on the cold ground once again.

"You win!" Zexion cried, out of breath from running. "You win!"

Demyx smiled, catching his breath and looking at his lover. He could actually see both of Zexion's blue eyes as he laid there, the blue-silver hair falling to the side of his head. Zexion seemed content just lying there, looking up at Demyx's gleeful expression. They remained this way for several moments before Demyx broke the silence.

"Zexy?" he said quietly. "Will you do one last thing for me on my birthday?"

Despite the snow melting under his coat, Zexion nodded, smile unwavering. "What is it?"

"Kiss me."

Zexion obeyed, craning his head to meet Demyx's lips in a passionate kiss. In spite of the cold, Zexion's lips were still warm, still tasting of peppermint. Demyx took glory in the feeling of his tongue entwining with Zexion's, teeth nipping playfully at his lover's bottom lip. He heard a soft sound escape Zexion's lips, and he kissed him even more fervently. After all that Zexion had done for him on this day, it was the least he could do. Zexion leaned back after a few more pecks, looking Demyx in the eyes.

"Happy Birthday," Zexion whispered.

No sooner did the words leave his lips did the sound of the midnight bell toll from the church a few blocks away. Demyx smiled. His birthday had come to an end, a very pleasant one. The snow was still falling, his lover was with him. He couldn't ask for more.

Still in their somewhat compromising position, they both turned their heads at the sound of Demyx's mother clearing her throat. She was standing in the open doorway, a smile plastered on her face. They quickly stood up, brushing the snow away. Zexion tried to speak, but the words seemed to be caught in his throat. He raised his hands, making some kind of gesture, only confusing Demyx.

"They cancelled school for tomorrow," Demyx's mother spoke, grinning merrily. "So why don't you boys come inside if you want to play?"

Demyx motioned for Zexion to follow him, and after a moment's hesitation, he agreed. His mother closed the door, not wanting to let the cold in. Demyx smiled, this time offering his hand. Zexion took it, and the two stepped up the walkway, the blissful warmth of the house beckoning them to inside.

* * *

There it is! I hope you enjoyed it. And please, please take the time to review! Thank you again!


	9. Reason

To everyone who reviewed, thank you so much! I apologize if there was some confusion that Chapter 8 was the last chapter. I made a note that it wasn't after I realized that, and I can understand why it seemed that way. But it wasn't, and here is Chapter 9. There will be more after this, too!

I'd like to start by saying (although the story _is_ rated M) there's an F-bomb in this chapter. There's also a whole lot of emotions in it, too. But I really thought it was necessary for the chapter. I hope you enjoy. And please continue with the reviews. I love them!

* * *

"This is going to be a complete disaster, Demyx. I can sense it."

Demyx placed his hands on Zexion's shoulders in an effort to calm him. "Zexy, relax. I'm sure it won't be as bad as you're making it seem. Now, hold still so I can fix this thing for you."

Zexion, who, with all his books and good grades, could not tie a tie properly, stopped fidgeting. It was Christmas day and they were at Zexion's house, awaiting his parents' arrival. They'd flown into town late last night, but claimed that the jetlag was too bad for them to be there early. Of course, Zexion new this wasn't true. He knew that she was still having a tough time convincing his father to come to dinner with her, and was probably still arguing with him. This didn't bother Zexion at all. In fact, he would have been much happier if they decided to not show up at all.

Demyx, on the other hand, saw it in a completely different way. He thought of it as an opportunity, a chance for Zexion to prove to his parents that there was nothing wrong with his choice in sexuality. If he could show them how great he and Zexion got along, and just how much he really did love their son, they might change their minds. But even Demyx was a little worried, though he tried not to let it show. Zexion's mother wasn't the one worrying him. It was the father. Demyx remembered all too well how his father had reacted to the news. He only hoped Zexion's father wasn't as horrible as Zexion had made him seem.

Demyx finished with Zexion's tie and fixed his lover's collar. Knowing that Zexion's parents were business people, Demyx knew they enjoyed the finer things in life. Therefore, he insisted they both dress accordingly. Zexion had protested for days, finally giving in with the confession that he couldn't tie a tie. But Demyx had fixed that problem now, and Zexion's shoulders slumped with anxiety.

"I just know it, Dem. I can't help it. No matter what we do, they're never going to accept it." He paused them mumbled something Demyx barely heard. "...They don't have a reason to…"

Demyx glanced at him, confused. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," Zexion sighed, shaking his head and looking at the floor. "It doesn't mean anything."

He was lying. Demyx could tell. But if Zexion didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't pester. He'd just find out later, like he always did.

"Cheer up, Zexy," Demyx smiled, raising Zexion's head by placing a finger on his chin. "No matter what happens, you'll still have me. Remember? I promised."

He raised his left hand to show the silver ring shining on his finger. He and Zexion had decided to simply exchange promise rings for Christmas. They'd done that last night in from of Demyx's mother (who cried her eyes out with joy), and Mrs. Tajima, Zexion's aunt. Zexion smiled lightly, raising his hand also, matching silver ring sparkling.

"I did, too."

"I know you did," Demyx smiled. "And what did we say? Even if…?"

Zexion sighed again, knowing he was expected to finish the statement. "Even if we're on opposite ends of the ocean without a boat to get me across, I'll build a bridge to get to you."

"Yay!" Demyx grinned. "Or, you know, you could just swim."

"I know, Dem. But it's not you that I'm worrying about. It's _them_."

"Aw, come on, Zexy! It'll be fine. Besides, once your mother sees _this…_" He pointed to himself. "She's gonna melt. Who can resist this?"

Zexion finally managed a laugh, sitting down on his bed. "You got me there, Dem. No getting past that."

Demyx took a seat next to him, giving him a gentle kiss. "That's better. Just keep smiling and it will all be okay."

"Right. Keep smiling. I'll try to do that."

Zexion's parents didn't arrive for another hour. Zexion and Demyx had just finished helping Mrs. Tajima with dinner when they stepped inside. As Demyx approached to meet them for the first time, he was quite impressed. Zexion's father wore an expensive business suit, his black hair combed neatly and a briefcase by his side. His wife was equally impressive, maybe more so. She, too, wore expensive business apparel. Demyx could see that she passed most of her traits to her son; they had the same small build, the slate hair, and the blue eyes. Demyx glanced back and forth between her and Zexion a few times.

Zexion gave his mother a quick hug, but his father only gave him a stern stare. He kept his cool, responding with a pleasant smile. "Mom, Dad. I would like you to meet Demyx."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Nakamura," Demyx said happily, shaking her hand. Her husband didn't offer. "Mr. Nakamura."

"So this is Demyx," Mrs. Nakamura spoke. It was hard to tell if her voice was kind or demeaning. "We've heard a lot about you."

"I've heard a lot about you, too."

_Though I won't say what._

Apparently, Mrs. Tajima noticed the tension. "Well, how nice everyone has met. Let's eat!"

And so dinner began, the thickness in the air still looming. They took their seats at the rectangular table. Mr. and Mrs. Tajima sat apart from each other, taking either end of the table, while Zexion's parents sat together on the right. Demyx and Zexion took the left side beside each other, and Saix took the corner between his father and Zexion. Everyone was silent as they ate, and Demyx couldn't help noticing that Zexion had barely eaten a thing. Mr. Nakamura wouldn't even look at his son, but Mrs. Nakamura stole fleeting glances. Demyx was beginning to understand why Zexion was dreading this visit. It was difficult for even him to keep from making a snide comment.

It was Mr. Nakamura that spoke first. "So, Zexion, whatever happened to your little girlfriend?"

"We broke up," Zexion replied bluntly. "I heard she's dating someone else now."

"I see….So what made you…?"

Zexion sighed with impatience. "Why is it so hard for you to say, Dad?"

He didn't answer, and everyone went silent again. A few minutes passed before he spoke again.

"So, you and…"

"Demyx, Dad. His name is Demyx."

"You and Demyx are…serious, then?"

Zexion held up the ring hugging his finger. "Yes."

Zexion's mother gasped in shock. "You're engaged?"

"No. They're promise rings. We…decided we're too young to be engaged."

Demyx was struggling not to comment. Mr. Nakamura was just deliberately being rude, and his wife was almost as rude when she spoke.

"Well, that's a relief," she continued. "You…are too young for that."

Mr. Nakamura frowned. "Have you talked to your girlfriend since-?"

"She's not my girlfriend, Dad," Zexion growled. "Why can't you just accept that I don't like girls?"

Mrs. Nakamura spoke, her voice softer than before. "Zexion, you know we're only worried because of what happened to your brother."

Demyx nearly recoiled in shock. Zexion had a brother?! Why hadn't he mentioned that?!

But Zexion exploded, standing up so fast that his chair tipped to the floor. "But I'm _not_ him, Mother! I'm nothing like him, and I never will be! I'm sorry that I'm not living the perfect life you two dreamed of me living. But you know what? I'm happy! I'm _fucking_ happy! Doesn't it _kill_ you to know that? I'm happy going to a small public school, I'm happy being in a band, and I'm happy that I'm gay! Do I have to spell that for you? I'm G-A-Y, gay! And I'll bet it just drives you insane trying to guess whether or not I'm actually sleeping with him, doesn't it? And, guess what. I did. I had sex with Demyx! And guess what else? I _liked_ it. No, wait. I _loved_ it! So how's that for you?" He shook his head. "You two shouldn't even have come here. I told you it would just be a waste of time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sit in my room and regroup what's left of my sanity. Mom, Dad, I hope you have a Merry Christmas since you've completely ruined mine. Everyone else, I'm sorry."

After sitting his chair upright, Zexion walked away. Demyx could only watch in awe. Everyone was silent, Mrs. Nakamura looking like she was about to burst into tears. No one was eating anymore, the sudden outburst from Zexion shocking everyone out of an appetite.

Mr. Nakamura stood up, shaking his hand in the direction Zexion had gone. "You get back here, young man! I'm your father! You can't talk to me like that!"

Demyx scoffed, standing up. "Oh, cram it, old man! You don't deserve to call yourself his father!" He glanced at each of them, his tone lightening somewhat as he shook his head. "I don't understand you. He's your son! Just because he does something you don't completely understand does not give you an excuse to treat him this way. My father didn't understand when I told him either. But you know what, he came around, and I'm glad that he did. He died just three months after I told him. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if he'd gone to his grave still feeling bitter toward me over something so…inconsequential." He made a mental note to thank Zexion for that word later. "You guys are only thinking about yourselves. It's not easy for him, either. He's been beating himself up because of you two for years. So, if you can't accept him for who he is, maybe you should just stop talking to him and pretending you care. I don't want to see him hurting like this anymore." He glanced to Saix and his parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Tajima, I really appreciate you inviting me here for dinner. Saix, you're a great friend. I apologize if I've ruined your holiday."

Then, he followed the path Zexion had taken, and rushed to his boyfriend's room. Zexion was sitting on his bed, his back toward the door and his arms crossed. Demyx frowned, closing the door and slowly walking over to him. He could see Zexion shuddering every few seconds, and he knew that the boy had finally broken. Demyx felt a small surge of rage in his chest. How dare they make _his_ Zexion cry! How dare they break that peaceful exterior that _his_ Zexion held! How dare them….Not _his_ Zexion.

He placed his hand on the crying teen's shoulder and pulled him into a gentle hug. "I'm sorry, Zexy," Demyx whispered. "I'm so sorry….Please, don't cry."

"I'm sorry, Demyx," Zexion choked out between sobs. "I've ruined your holiday. I probably made you hate me…"

"No! I could never hate you….Why would I hate you?"

"Because I blurted out about…what we did. And…I never told you I had a brother."

"No….I'm not mad. I don't care about what they think. I'm only worried about you. Please, don't cry…"

Zexion sniffled a few times, stopping the flow of tears. He looked Demyx in the eyes, trying to smile as Demyx wiped the tears away with his thumb. After a few moments of regaining himself, Zexion stood, walking to his dresser and rummaging through the top drawer. He pulled out a small, glossy paper, then tossed it to Demyx. It was a picture of a smiling young man, long silver hair and bright blue eyes. Demyx understood who this was.

"That's my older brother, Riku," Zexion explained, his tone telling Demyx how hard it was to talk about him. "He was only four years older than me, so he would be twenty-one. When he was sixteen, he got kicked out of our church school…for the same reason I was kicked out of boarding school. When he told my parents, they yelled at him, and grounded him. There was a lot of fighting for the next year. Riku started going to a public school, and he started dabbling in a lot of the wrong things. Then, to top it off, he told my parents he was gay and that he was in love with a man. My parents freaked, forbidding him from seeing the man again. So one night, just a few weeks before his eighteenth birthday, Riku ran away to be with the man." Zexion sighed, shaking his head. "It turns out that the man wasn't really in love with Riku, but was in fact in an anti-gay group. They…killed my brother…"

Demyx looked at Zexion, shocked and appalled by what he heard. "Zexy, I'm so sorry…"

"My parents were never the same after that. They sent me away to boarding school, and got so caught up in their careers they eventually forgot they even had another son. It wasn't until I got kicked out of the boarding school that they started to pay attention to me. When they found out why, they sent me here. A small town, not many bad things happening. I guess…they wanted me to be safe. But I've been living in Riku's shadow since…what happened to him. And a part of me understands why they are the way they are…but really, I just want them to accept me. Their…close-mindedness is what drove Riku away." Zexion glanced at Demyx. "I say that I'm nothing like Riku, but every time I think about him, I notice more and more similarities. I mean, I've never done drugs. But I even said a few weeks ago that I would run away if my parents try to take me with them….I've followed in Riku's steps so far…If I did that…I would be just like him."

"Zexy, I…"

A timid knock sounded at the door, and Mrs. Nakamura stepped in slowly. Zexion turned away from her, but she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She immediately started to cry, holding her son in her arms.

"I'm so sorry…." She said, sobbing. "I am so sorry for everything I've done to you. Zexion, you're my son. I don't want you to ever think that I don't love you. No matter what you do, there is nothing that you can do that will make me not love you. Nothing!" She held him out and looked him in the eyes. "I will admit, I have not done the right thing as your mother. I am sorry for that. I only hope you can forgive me." She glanced to Demyx. "You, too, Demyx. I apologize for my behavior." She looked back at Zexion. "And if Demyx is the one you love, then I want you to be with him."

Zexion looked back at his mother, then gave a quick nod. She hugged him again, and he hugged her back. Demyx couldn't help but smile.

But then, Mr. Nakamura walked into the room.

Zexion turned to look at his father, who stood simply in the doorway. The silence was thick, and it was clear that Zexion was not going to be the one to break it. So Mr. Nakamura stepped forward, looking down at his son.

"I won't say that I completely understand your choice," he spoke, his tone serious. "And, no matter what I do or say, I can't change your mind." He looked at Demyx. "But what Demyx said downstairs made me realize that I am the one in the wrong. Zexion, you're my son. And whatever you choose to do with your life…I will support you."

Zexion knew that was his father's version of an apology. He nodded to his father, who stepped closer and embraced both his son and his wife in his arms. Demyx smiled. So the day may have started badly, but it sure was ending well. He looked at Zexion as his family hugged him, catching the words on the slate-haired teen's lips without the sound.

"Thank you. I love you."

* * *

Eh? I hope you didn't hate it too much. If you did, please try to be nice about it! Thanks for reading, and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!


	10. Valentine

I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up. I know, it hasn't _really_ been that long, but I'm usually faster. Unfortunately, I've joined the Working class now and got a job. So that might set my updates back a little. But I'll try to at least update weekly as long as I can stay on top of it. Also, there was a new baby born into my family this week, so I had to take time off for that, too.

Thank you all for reading, and please continue with the reviews. I'm loving them all!

Again...I don't own any of the characters, or Star Wars.

* * *

The beginning of the New Year came and went, the snow melting and returning several different times. After the episode with Zexion's parents, things seemed to take a turn for the better. Zexion and his father were now on speaking terms, and when they left again a few days later, the two even exchanged a hug. His mother seemed happy just to have her son back without her husband arguing.

After talking to Demyx a little more about his brother, Zexion finally decided to buy a picture frame and placed the picture in it, keeping Riku's photo on the stand near his bed. Zexion explained that they had been quite close. When Riku started getting into the drugs, it was Zexion who made him stop. When he'd run away the first few times, it was who Zexion had talked him into coming home. And it was Zexion who started to panic first when he couldn't get a hold of his brother's cell phone when Riku ran away that final time. But he knew that he needed to finally come to terms with what had happened, and keeping the picture near his bed made him feel closer to his brother.

January passed by quickly, and the band played another gig at Xaldin's bar, where the bar owner, Lexaeus, and Larxene proceeded to have another one of their private conversations. Demyx and Zexion decided to get revenge on Xaldin by having a heated make-out session in one of the stockrooms. Unfortunately, he walked in on them as they started to pull each other's clothes off and chased them out of the backroom. Axel and Roxas were officially a couple, though the others knew they had been for quite some time.

The days rushed into February, and Valentine's Day came into view. Axel and Roxas had wanted to go on a double date the day before Valentine's Day to avoid the rush. Unfortunately, Zexion couldn't get the day off, so he and Demyx opted to just go on the busy holiday and extended the offer to their friends to join them. Though Axel and Roxas had already "celebrated" the day before, they still accepted the offer. It was a Saturday, and Zexion worked until four o'clock. They'd agreed that they would go to dinner with their friends, then go back to Zexion's house for the night and watch a movie.

Demyx was waiting outside of the pizza shop, waiting for Zexion to finish his shift. The wind was still cold, a light dusting of snow on the ground. Zexion was still walking to and from work everyday. Demyx wished that he himself had a car so that he could drive his lover the few blocks instead of letting the young man freeze. He pulled his coat tighter, rubbing his hands together for warmth. Zexion didn't know he was there, and he didn't want to walk inside and ruin the surprise.

Zexion raised his eyebrows as he noticed Demyx huddled near the building when he walked outside. "Hey, Dem. What are you doing here?"

"I-I thought you might want some company on your w-walk home," Demyx replied, teeth chattering.

"That's really nice of you. But why didn't you just stand inside? It's a lot warmer in there."

"I-I wanted to surprise you when you came outside!"

Zexion laughed. "Dem, you're standing in front of a huge window. I kind of saw you from in there. And I was very surprised. That's sweet of you to stand out here just to surprise me. It makes me happy."

Demyx grinned. "I told you that there were some surprises that you like."

"Hey, you two!" Axel's voice called. "What the hell are you doing out here in this weather?"

They looked to the street, where Axel was pulled on the side of the road in an ugly, small car, the same red shade as his hair. The front end had several dings and scratches on the front, and it was obvious that one of the headlights was not the original. Roxas waved from the passenger seat, smiling happily. Demyx and Zexion walked over to the car, obvious surprise plastered on each of their faces.

"You're driving?" Demyx questioned. "I thought Reno didn't allow you to since-"

"Yeah, yeah, since the garage door incident, I know," Axel said, waving a hand to dismiss the subject. "But it's been eight months since then. And he decided I could have my license back and even let me drive the car! He's getting a new one, so he said if I find a job, I can have this one as long as I pay the insurance. Pretty sweet, huh?"

"That he's giving you a car? Yeah, I'd say that's cool."

"I know it's ugly as hell, but it still works fine. As long as I don't drive through another garage door, I'll be okay. You guys ready to go? I'm starving!"

Zexion frowned, arms out as if to display himself. "Axel, I'm still in my uniform. And I smell like pizza. I need to get ready first."

Demyx leaned over and sniffed his hair. "Smell's good enough to eat."

Axel motioned his head to the side. "Get in. I'll take you home so you can get ready and we can get the hell going."

Somewhat reluctantly, they climbed into the car. Since Axel lived across the street from Zexion, he just agreed to meet them back at "his" car in an hour. Which Demyx knew meant a little more than thirty minutes. Demyx was ready, so he tagged along with his boyfriend. They went to Zexion's room, and Demyx took a seat on the bed. Sighing, Zexion pulled off his uniform shirt and tossed it into the hamper. Demyx smiled, watching as his lover gathered his showering items. He couldn't help staring.

"Zexy?"

The slate-haired teen looked over at the sound of his nickname. "Yeah?"

"I don't think I've ever told you this, but…you have a great ass."

Zexion laughed for a moment. "Thanks, Dem. Um…that's always good to know."

He walked over to Demyx, placing a soft kiss on the blond's lips. Then, smiling seductively, he winked.

"I'm off to take a shower," Zexion nearly whispered. "If you weren't so particular about your hair, I'd ask you to join me. Well, that and everyone else is home."

Demyx blushed. "Maybe another time."

"Yeah. _Definitely_ another time…"

Demyx watched regretfully as Zexion walked out of the room and headed down the hall. How badly he wished he_ could_ join him in the shower. To just be standing there with him, the warm water splashing down on both of them. The feel of Zexion's water-soaked skin, hands clawing through his hair as he-

Demyx had to stop himself. They'd been dating for a little over four months, and they'd only had sex one time. Sure, they'd come close to doing it again several times, but something always seemed to interrupt. The last time being Xaldin at the pub. The time before that, they'd nearly gone at it in the garage after band practice. That had been the most disastrous yet. In the heat of passion and mostly naked, Demyx sandwiched his lover to the wall, causing Zexion to accidentally bump the button that raised the garage door. Half of the neighborhood had seen them scrambling their clothes together and running into the house through the door that connected to the kitchen. Demyx was just thankful his mother wasn't home for that. He could only shake his head at the memory, trying not to concentrate so much on the fact that his lover was showering without him.

It took Zexion all of twenty minutes to get ready. Despite Demyx lecturing him to dry his hair before going outside into the cold, Zexion refused. Mainly because Axel was outside honking the horn exactly thirty-five minutes after they separated. The two walked out to the car, reunited with Axel and Roxas. Reno immediately stomped onto the porch.

"Axel! If you so much as even put another scratch on that car, I'm revoking everything I said earlier. And please, just drive safe. I don't want to have to hear your friends' parents nagging me about how you killed their kids. So if you wreck, don't kill them."

Axel looked at his brother. "What about me?! It's okay if I die?!"

"Shut the hell up and put your seatbelt on. Now, go have fun. And be safe, okay?"

After Axel agreed, they departed for the nearest restaurant. Axel joked that they should just drive back to the pizza shop, but Zexion vehemently insisted they didn't. The restaurant was even busier than they'd expected. Apparently they weren't the only ones who had the idea of coming to this particular restaurant. They had to wait thirty minutes for a table, and Axel groaned as soon as they were seated.

"Non-smoking," he fussed. "Wonderful. How am I supposed to enjoy myself now?"

"You're trying to quit," Roxas said, practically demanding. "_Remember_?"

"Oh, right! Completely slipped my mind." He rolled his eyes, then glanced at Zexion. "So did Saix say anything about his date? Was he still whining about Marluxia making him go?"

"Date?" Zexion said, surprised. "He never even mentioned it to me. Who is he dating?"

"No one at the moment. Marluxia and Larxene are forcing him on a blind date tonight with some girl. I'm surprised he didn't tell you. Must be afraid you'll tease him."

"_Me_, tease _him_? But _you_ know? That seems a little backwards to me."

Demyx snickered. "I think it's good. He needs to go out and do something other than gamble with Luxord on Friday nights. A little dating might be good for him. Maybe he will talk more."

Zexion scoffed. "I think he'd have more fun at a tutoring session with Vexen then going on dates. Saix isn't really the dating type. But it will be fun to question him about later."

"And that's why he didn't tell you," Axel laughed.

Upon meeting their waitress, they placed their orders. The rest of the date continued just as Demyx had expected it would. They ate, talked, and Axel horded the bread basket. But in the end, he was glad that they decided to go on a double date. He'd never actually been on one, and being with his lover and his friends made the date even more fun. It was nearly seven o'clock by the time they left the restaurant, and Axel drove them back to Zexion's house afterwards.

Upon arriving, they realized that the family car was not parked in the driveway. Demyx followed Zexion into the house after he unlocked the door, going into the kitchen. His aunt and uncle had left a note on the counter, stating that they were going out to dinner, also and that Saix was out on a date. Zexion walked back to the front door and relocked it, then walked upstairs to his room with Demyx following behind.

Demyx took a seat on the bed as Zexion closed the bedroom door. He glanced around his boyfriend's bedroom as he had many times. The walls were painted a light creamish color, the bed sheets and curtains a deep shade of blue. Zexion always had the blinds pulled shut as if he was afraid someone might spy on him through them if they were open. The TV was fairly small, obviously a hand-me-down, the walls lined with built-in bookshelves, filled to the limit with more books than Demyx would ever read in his entire life. The desk was neatly organized in the corner, a small laptop resting in the center and more books stacked on the corner. A Rubik's cube rested on the nightstand next to Riku's picture, along with a photo of him and Demyx from sophomore year. On his dresser was a CD-player alarm clock, which looked like it was rarely used. The closet door was shut securely, a calendar hanging loosely on it. No videogame console anywhere to be seen. How did Zexion survive like this?

"Zexy, do you even own any movies?" Demyx asked, curious about their next plans.

"Yeah. They're in the drawers under the TV. There's not many, but you can choose one."

Demyx stumbled down to the drawers and looked inside, immediately displeased with the selection. "Um, Zexy…do you have anything that _isn't_ educational? Aside from all of the _Star Wars_ movies?"

Zexion smiled deviously. "No, I don't. I didn't think you would like any of those."

"But, Zexy, our plans were to watch a movie," Demyx whined, then glanced at his boyfriend. "How are we…Oh…"

Zexion already had Demyx pinned to the wall. "Yes, I planned this. I knew they weren't going to be here, and I knew that Saix was going on that date with Marluxia and Larxene. I'm a much better actor than everyone gives me credit for. And after all of those inconvenient interruptions… I thought this would be the perfect way to get some alone time."

Demyx laughed. "So you had this all plotted out? You're quite the schemer, aren't you?"

"You didn't think you were the only one that could be sneaky, did you? Of course I planned this out. We still have yet to…initiate my bed…"

"Mmm," Demyx cooed. "Naughty, naughty Zexy…"

They caught each other in a passionate kiss, not bothering to take the small steps. Accepting Zexion's arousing offer, Demyx pushed him onto the bed, tongues diving into each other's mouths, hands clawing clothing from each other's bodies. As he tossed Zexion's shirt to the floor, Zexion broke the kiss, holding up a finger with hesitation.

"Just a second." Zexion walked over to his desk and grabbed the wooden chair, positioning it beneath the knob on the bedroom door. "The lock is broken. I don't want to take any chances of anyone…disrupting."

They picked up where they left off, last articles of clothing falling to the floor. Demyx stole kisses from his lover's lips and more, sucking at his neck and slowly trailing kisses down his body. Zexion quivered as Demyx went lower, gasping slightly as the blond took him into his mouth. Demyx felt the eagerness swelling inside him as he licked and sucked at the part, seeing Zexion's fingers grasping the covers of the bed tightly. But he couldn't let his lover climax yet. No, no, he was just getting started. After only a few minutes, Demyx moved out of his stance, guiding Zexion to lie on his stomach. Without warning, Demyx thrust into him.

Much like their first time, Zexion whimpered at first. But this time, Demyx didn't hesitate. He drove in, Zexion propping himself on his hands and knees on the bed, both breathing heavily through the motions. Even after they had each peaked a few times, they tried different positions, Demyx switching places with Zexion and having the slate-haired man take his turn to top.

After they had both tired, they relaxed on the bed, cuddling close and catching their breath. Demyx ran his hands through Zexion's hair, damp from sweat, and kissed the top of his head. Just seconds later, Demyx's cell phone started to ring. Though he didn't want to, he reached to the floor and grabbed his pants, pulling the small phone from his pocket and throwing the garment back to the floor. He raised his eyebrows as he flipped the phone open.

"Hello?" he said, still breathing heavily.

"Hey, Dem, it's Axel."

"I…can tell…"

"Oh, good. Well, I just wanted to….What are you doing? Oh, shit, Dem, I didn't interrupt anything did I?"

"What do you want, Axel?"

"Well, Lexaeus just called me. He said that Xaldin called him and wants us to play at his pub this Wednesday. He says it's really urgent that we play there on that day and that we're there by nine. So since Lexaeus couldn't get a hold of anyone else, he called me and wants me to verify that we can go and then get back to him so he can get back to Xaldin since none of us know Xaldin's phone number. Well, except Larxene, but she's probably-"

"Axel, get to the point…please."

"Ah, so I did interrupt, didn't I? Anyway, I just need to verify that you can make it."

Demyx looked over at Zexion, who was looking at him with curiosity. "Zexy, do you work on Wednesday?"

Zexion shook his head. "No."

"Okay, Axel. Zexy and I can make it. Good luck with everyone else. I'll talk to you later. Don't call me back. Goodbye."

He didn't give Axel a chance to respond before hanging up. After tossing his phone onto the floor, he cuddled up with Zexion again. Zexion's head was nestled on his shoulder, both of their skin sticking to each other and the blankets. But neither of them minded.

"That was Axel," Demyx informed. "He says Xaldin needs us to play at the club on Wednesday at nine. Any objections?"

"No," Zexion spoke. "Why did Axel think that was so urgent?"

"Apparently, Xaldin thinks it's urgent. His original act must have bailed on him." He looked down into Zexion's eyes. "This time, don't break anything on your bass."

"Yeah, I finally replaced those tuning pegs. If Axel even touches my bass again, I'll kill him." Zexion looked up at the blond as the sound of the front door opening echoed up the stairs. "Well, I would suggest taking a shower together, but someone just walked in. It looks like we'll have to postpone that again. And all of my movies are terrible, I guess."

Demyx smiled. "That's okay. Just being how we are now is better than any movie we could watch."


	11. Lucky Unlucky

Big, big** Thank You** to everyone for reviewing! You are so good to me! I love all of your reviews. And thanks for being so understanding about the late updates. I'll try to get this next one up ASAP...or else you might kill me.

Thanks again. Lots of love!

* * *

Zexion frowned as they sat at the lunch table on Monday, and Axel immediately tugged at the collar of the slate-haired boy's turtle-necked sweater. Zexion slapped the redhead's hands away, but it was too late. Axel's face lit up with delight as everyone at the table focused on Demyx and his slate-haired boyfriend.

"What the _hell_is that?" Axel questioned mischievously. "Get a vacuum stuck to your neck, Zexy?"

Zexion glared. "Do_ not_ call me that, Axel. That is a right _you_ do not reserve."

"Looks like Demyx got lucky on Valentine's Day." He looked at Demyx, that cocky smirk unwavering. "Aw, Dem, you lied to me. I'm hurt. I thought you trusted me with these things. After everything we had together."

Zexion's glare could have melted lead. "Shut up."

"How are you ever going to hide that at work? The collar of your uniform doesn't go up that high. And you know they won't let you wear that sweater all day. You are _so_ going to get canned for that."

"Shut up, Axel!" Zexion demanded, his face flushing a deep shade of pink. Demyx didn't know if he was embarrassed, or actually getting angry.

"Well, you guys can pay up," Luxord grinned, hands outstretched. "Looks like I win again."

Vexen grumbled as he and Saix forked over their munny. "Axel, I really don't think it's appropriate for you to inquire about their personal lives. Perhaps you should just leave them alone."

"Where's the fun in that?" Axel huffed, crossing his arms as Roxas agreed with Vexen.

Luxord shuffled up his cards. "So, I heard you guys are-"

"Luxord! Cards!" Mr. Highwind stomped over to the table, like he did every day, snatching the cards out of Luxord's hands. "How many decks of these things am I gonna have before this year's over? Gimme the ones in yer left front pocket, too."

Luxord growled as he handed over both decks of cards.

"And the ones in your shirt pocket. You can pick 'em up after school. You know where to find 'em."

Mr. Highwind walked away, three decks of cards richer. Luxord simply grinned, pulling yet another deck of cards from his right cargo pocket. Saix simply shook his head, watching the gambler shuffle.

"Is that what you spend all of my munny on?" Saix questioned. "New decks of cards?"

Marluxia laughed as Luxord dealt a new game. "So, Xaldin seemed pretty intent on getting us to play on Wednesday. Any idea what that's about?"

"Really?" Larxene smiled, clearly knowing what was going on. "No idea."

"You're such a liar. We see the way you, Xaldin, and Lexaeus group together and chat, shutting the rest of us out. Why aren't we allowed in the loop? Are you setting us up for destruction?"

Larxene ran a hand through her boyfriend's hair. "Now, I may be slightly sadistic, but I would never do that."

"At least I have Wednesday off," Zexion sighed. "It would have been unfortunate if I didn't."

"Are they hiring where you work?" Axel asked, taking a bite of his lunch. "I need a job or Reno won't let me drive."

Zexion eyed Axel coolly. "You expect me to put in a good word for you after what you just did to me?"

"I'm your buddy, right? And I was just pointing out the obvious. You never wear those long neck sweaters. I mean, since you're gonna get canned, I figured you could put in a good word for me so that I can take your place."

Zexion shook his head, laughing a little. "I'll see what I can do."

"You're awesome, Zex. I'll never intentionally embarrass you or say anything to gross you out again."

"I'm sure you will. You know what, Luxord, deal me in this game. I have a lucky feeling today."

Demyx looked at Zexion in surprise. "But we're not supposed to gamble in school! You never break school rules!"

Zexion gave Demyx an adoring smile. "But I'm feeling lucky today. I'll win for you."

Luxord rolled his eyes, only agreeing to deal the slate-haired teen in once he'd placed his bet on the table. The other players, consisting of Vexen, Saix, Roxas, Marluxia, and Luxord himself, placed their bets after Zexion. Then, Luxord explained the rules before dealing the cards. "Black Jack, no wilds. Winner takes the pot."

Axel snickered. "The 'pot?' You mean 'the cluster of munny in the middle of the table.'"

Each of the players picked their cards off the table and glanced at them. Demyx craned his neck over to look at Zexion's cards, trying to keep a blank face so that he wouldn't give them away. Luxord was already grinning, signifying he had a good hand, as usual. Saix grunted, Marluxia laughed, Roxas sighed, and Vexen simply raised his eyebrows. Luxord looked at Roxas first, giving him his chance for more cards.

"Um…hit me," the spiky haired blonde said hesitantly, and Luxord handed him another card. "Shit…"

Vexen paused. "I'll stay."

"Stay," Saix agreed.

"Hit me," Marluxia shrugged. He took two cards before frowning.

"I will stay," Luxord grinned. "Everyone, show your cards."

Roxas had folded with a total of 23, Marluxia with a total of 22. Saix showed his hand proudly with a total of 19. Vexen frowned upon seeing Saix's cards, seeing as his own total was only 17. Luxord and Zexion were last, the blonde gambler grinning brazenly as he slapped down his hand. The Jack of Diamonds and the Ace of Hearts, a grand total of 21. Zexion frowned, shaking his head.

"Wow, Luxord, I'm surprised," Zexion spoke.

Then, he placed his own cards on the table. Luxord's face was smeared with dismay. Zexion could only smile.

"Ace of Spades," Zexion grinned, placing it down along with the Queen of Hearts. "Too bad, Luxord. Better luck next time."

Luxord sputtered. "Y-you…?"

"I win, yes." Zexion turned his blue eyes to Demyx. "Look, Dem. I won you the pot. It's all yours."

Demyx grinned, scooping the pot away from the center of the table. The others simply laughed as Luxord tried to fathom that he had actually lost a game. Suddenly, everyone else was eager to play, all of them starting to place their munny on the table. Zexion and Demyx, however, grabbed up their bags, heading on their daily lunch trip to the library. As they walked up the stairs, Demyx placed his arm over Zexion's shoulders.

"You never told me you were good at poker, Zexy," Demyx smiled.

"I'm not. That was a very fortunate fluke. Like I said, I was feeling lucky."

* * *

Axel drove them all home from school that day, as was the new routine. Zexion and Demyx climbed out of the car in Axel's driveway, thanking the redhead, and walking across the street to Zexion's house. Despite their gig in two days, they decided to skip practice today. Zexion was supposed to be at work at 4:30, and both Axel and Marluxia were going on a job search. Saix had tagged with Luxord and Vexen to play poker at Luxord's house. The two boys walked into the house, waving at his aunt who was on the phone, then headed upstairs to Zexion's room.

Zexion walked over to the mirror, pulling the neck of his sweater down and looking at the marks. "Axel's right….I'm so going to get canned if I go there with this showing."

Demyx bit his lip. "Sorry, Zexy. Guess I got a little carried away."

"You don't have to apologize. I'm not angry. I'll just have to call off today. I haven't done that yet, so they shouldn't be too mad." He picked up his cell phone and placed the call, shaking his head afterward. "If Axel goes there, he'd better not open his big mouth or I'll kill him."

"You can't kill him. Reno already called dibs on that."

"Fine. Reno can kill him and I'll just desecrate his grave somehow…like, paint graffiti of math equations and Shakespeare."

Demyx laughed. "Yeah, Axel would roll in his grave if someone did that."

"Zexion!" his aunt called from downstairs. "You have some mail down here! I think you might be interested in seeing it!"

Zexion gave Demyx a curious glance, then quickly fixed the neck of his sweater. They walked back downstairs, where Mrs. Tajima was waiting in the kitchen, holding an envelope in her hands. She handed it to Zexion, an excited smile on her face, and he looked it over.

"I actually got something?" he said, surprised. "It's from…Radiant Gardens University."

Demyx held back a shudder. That was the college he'd be dreading that Zexion might hear from. The one across the country. The prestigious school that Zexion had been looking into since junior year. The one where, if he chose to go, would have he and Demyx separated by thousands of miles. Suddenly, Demyx felt that Zexion's lucky day was about to get better, and his own day was about to become quite _un_lucky.

"Well, you should open it!" Demyx exclaimed. His own façade of happiness even impressed him.

Mrs. Tajima nodded in agreement.

Zexion looked at him, a mix of fear and excitement on his face. "Y-yeah…I should."

The two bystanders watched anxiously as Zexion's fingers started to open the envelope. He was doing it ever so slowly, and Demyx knew why. If he'd been rejected, it would completely shatter everything Zexion had ever believed himself to be. All of the effort and good grades he'd put into school, it would all be wasted. Though neither of them had heard anything from Twilight University yet. The very thought made Demyx nervous. He knew Zexion would be accepted there without a problem. But he wasn't so sure about himself. He only hoped that if Zexion did get accepted to Radiant Gardens University, he would keep his options open about possibly staying around here.

Zexion pulled the paper from the envelope, unfolding it, his blue eyes scanning it nervously. "I…"

Demyx placed his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders. "What is it, Zexy?"

Zexion shook his head slowly, closing his eyes. "I…got accepted."

Mrs. Tajima squealed happily, pulling her nephew into a close embrace. "Oh, Zexion! I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you! Wait until your parents hear this news! I have to tell- no, _you_ have to tell your uncle as soon as he gets home! He will be so proud!"

She squeezed him again, then pinched his cheeks (which left Zexion looking absolutely livid), then walked away still chattering about everyone to tell. Zexion glanced at the letter a few more times, then put his hands at his sides, not speaking. For some reason, Demyx couldn't help feeling that his reaction should have been quite different. And although he didn't want to see Zexion go, he felt that it was his duty to encourage him since that's what Zexion wanted.

"Zexy, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft. "You got in! That's good!"

Zexion avoided eye contact. "I'm…glad that one of us is happy about it."

"It's a good school. You can get away from this town and get a better education. Why should you be mad about that?"

"…I guess I don't really have a reason."

He sighed, shaking his head slowly, then walked away, gently pushing past Demyx and going back upstairs. Demyx found himself alone in the kitchen, extremely confused. Zexion had wanted so badly to get into that school. Now he finally had a chance to go, and he suddenly didn't want it anymore? And what was with that mood? Demyx frowned, regaining himself, and following Zexion's path up the stairs.

But when he got to Zexion's room, the door wouldn't open.

_He…locked me out?_

Or at least placed that damn chair in front of the door, being that the lock was broken. Zexion had actually taken the time to block the door so he couldn't get in? Even Demyx's backpack was sitting in the hall. Demyx shook his head, surprised and hurt, by the sudden turn of events. The day really had gotten worse. And what exactly had he done to deserve this? Did he say something wrong?

"Zexy?" Demyx called, one ear to the door. "Are you okay? Can I talk to you?"

"I don't feel like talking right now," Zexion replied.

He could tell that Zexion was probably standing just as close to the door as he was. "But, Zexy-"

"Not right now, Demyx."

That was it? He was just 'Demyx' now, not 'Dem?' He knew that Zexion wasn't one for sweet-talking, but 'Demyx' just seemed so...impersonal. And what about all of the things he'd said in that poem? Now it was…nothing? He felt tears stinging his eyes as a warm sensation trickled down his cheek. How could his Zexy be so cold? Without another word, he picked up his backpack and left to go home.


	12. Building Bridges

Well, here it is. Chapter 12! Hope you guys like it!

* * *

Demyx didn't go to school the next day. He had been up most of the night, waiting for Zexion to come over, or at least call him. But neither had happened. He hadn't told his mother about the incident, but simply told her in the morning that he wasn't feeling well. She didn't question him, just told him to feel better. Even after she had left for work, Demyx kept himself holed up in his room, thoughts rushing through his head. He wondered if Zexion had gone to school, or if maybe he was feeling this way, too.

Demyx still couldn't understand what he had done to make Zexion so upset. He'd been racking his brain all day, trying to figure out what to apologize for. He figured he could just apologize for everything…but that might not be specific enough. To make matters worse, their gig at Xaldin's pub was tomorrow. What if Zexion decided to bail at the last minute? They would never find a replacement bassist in time.

He sighed, glancing at the poem framed on his nightstand.

"_The sound of your voice is the Sweetest Song I've ever heard."_

The memory of hearing Zexion's voice speak that line brought tears to his eyes. Why were things turning out this way?

At around three-thirty, the doorbell sounded. Demyx jumped off of his bed quickly, wiping any remaining tears from his face. If it was Zexion, he didn't want to be caught this way. He rushed downstairs, then took a deep breath before opening the door.

But it wasn't Zexion.

Vexen glanced at him, emerald eyes giving him a curious sweep. Demyx blinked a few times, confused, then motioned for the blonde to come inside. It was only Tuesday. Why would Vexen be here to tutor him today? Even after he'd skipped school?

"Hey, Vexen," Demyx said. "Um…what's up?"

Vexen sighed, shaking his head. "I'm not here to teach you, Demyx."

"…What is it, then?"

"Neither you nor Zexion came to school today. Saix said that, and I quote 'Zexion was acting all mopey last night.' Therefore, I came to the conclusion that something…may have gone wrong between the two of you. As your…well, therapist, I thought it would be best to see what I can do."

"Oh, Vexen, it's terrible!" Demyx blurted, not realizing how badly he needed to vent. "I didn't even do anything! At least, I don't think I did. We just went to his house after school, and he got a letter from Radiant Gardens University. He got accepted, Vexen! And I was happy for him, really I was. But I'm so scared that he's going to go there, and just completely forget about me. I didn't say that, though. I just told him that it was a good thing to have been accepted, and he could go there and get a good education, and- Oh, Vexen, I don't know what I did wrong! I don't know what I'm supposed to do or think!"

Vexen paused, bombarded by information, then looked back at Demyx. "Well, that certainly explains it. You don't have to be so upset, Demyx. He will come around eventually. I don't want to elaborate too much, but Zexion has had a lot on his mind in regards to his college of choice. He just needs time to… figure things out. That's all."

Demyx stood in place as Vexen turned to leave. "Wait. You walked all the way over here from school just to tell me that?"

Vexen shrugged then nodded. "Yes."

"But…you live across town."

The long-haired blonde smiled. "Well, I'm just that nice of a friend. Cheer up, Demyx."

And with that, Vexen left. Though Demyx was grateful for the visit, he couldn't help thinking what a strange character that genius could be. He glanced down at his hands, still not moving from his place. The silver ring Zexion had given him for Christmas was still shining there. He wondered to himself if Zexion was still wearing his, or if maybe he'd given up and taken his off. Then, trying to think of something else, he walked into the kitchen, deciding to find something to eat for the first time since yesterday.

It was only about another half-hour before the doorbell rang again. Now sitting on his bed watching TV, Demyx sighed, wondering if it would even be worth the effort to get up. Just as it sounded for the second time, his cell phone buzzed with a text message on his nightstand.

_Dem, are you home?_

It was Zexion. Tripping over his blankets and his own feet, Demyx jumped off of his bed and bounded down the stairs, yanking the door open so fast it nearly flew from the hinges.

Zexion stood there, his thin jacket unzipped, revealing another turtle-necked sweater. Today, it was dark blue. His blue-silver hair ruffled lightly with the breeze, his visible eye looking more tired than Demyx had ever seen. He stuffed his phone into his coat pocket, offering a small smile.

"Hey, Dem," he said, his voice quiet.

Demyx wasn't quite sure what to say. "Hey."

"I…I came to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was…being a jerk."

"Why don't you come inside?"

Zexion did so, remaining in the foyer as Demyx closed the door. He looked at the floor, ashamed with himself as Demyx turned to look back at him. At the moment, the blonde didn't even care if Zexion had been a jerk to him. He was just glad to see his slate-haired love again.

"You don't have to apologize," Demyx said in a soothing tone.

"Yes, I do," Zexion answered adamantly. "I was a real jerk yesterday, and I think I owe you an explanation. You didn't do anything to deserve that treatment. You were just being nice and supportive, and I just blew the whole thing way out of proportion."

Demyx watched Zexion closely. "Well, I am proud of you, Zexy. You've been looking into that school for a few years now, and you've worked really hard to get in. I…know it's far away, but it's my job to support you if you decide to go."

"I know. And I know that's all you were trying to say yesterday. I just…took it the wrong way. The truth is, Dem, I…I don't want to go."

Demyx was surprised. "What? What do you mean?"

"I don't want to go to RGU. I never did. The whole reason I applied there was because of its location. I knew that it was so far away. That's why I started looking into it back in sophomore year, when I first had a crush on you. I thought that maybe if I hinted at moving far, far away, you might let me know if you liked me back. Maybe if you knew I was leaving, you'd say something to try to convince me to stay. That's the whole reason I applied, the whole reason I even brought up college applications at band practice that day all those months ago. I knew that you knew I'd applied there. I'll admit, when you didn't say anything, I was…disappointed. All this time, I've really just wanted to go to Twilight University. RGU was just a ruse to get your attention."

"Wow. Really?" Demyx was astounded that Zexion had actually done something like that just for his attention.

"And now, I've got myself in deeper than I planned. You see, I didn't _actually_ think I would get accepted. You were, right, Dem. There really is no reason for me to be mad about that, but…now everyone is going to expect me to go there. My parents are already making a big deal about it, and if I didn't know any better, I would think my aunt and uncle are already planning on renting out my room. And yesterday, when you were just being supportive, I…felt like everyone wanted to get rid of me. The same way I felt before my parents shipped me here. I know it was wrong of me to think that, but I couldn't help it. Then, after I blew up on you, I felt even worse. I thought…maybe I just burned my bridge. I didn't sleep at all last night because all I could think about was how I hurt you….And even if I did want to go…I couldn't leave you. So…if you'll let me…I want to rebuild that bridge."

Demyx smiled, slowly stepping to his boyfriend and giving him a tight squeeze. "I'd like that. But you don't have to rebuild any bridges. You didn't burn it, you just…blocked it off for a little while."

Zexion finally smiled. "I love you, Dem."

"I love you, too." He grabbed Zexion's hand and tugged him up the stairs. "Come on! Now that you're here, I think I'll keep you for the night."

* * *

The next morning, Demyx realized just why people so enjoy make-up sex. Though it wasn't his original intention to bed his boyfriend, he was quite successful when he changed his mind. They did their best to keep quiet since Demyx's mother was home, but even she was somewhat suspicious after hearing all of the laughter between occasional thuds. Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind.

They woke early the next morning to go through the routine of pre-gig practice. Zexion went home to shower and get fresh clothes before everyone else arrived, promising to come back as soon as he was finished. Once he had left, Demyx took a shower and dressed for the day. While he was still waiting for Zexion to return, he turned on the radio and cleaned his room a bit. To his surprise, they actually played a lot of songs he liked, particularly a song by one of his favorite bands, The Nobodies. After the song had finished, the radio DJ gave a speech about how the band was in an argument with their record label and may soon be involved in a lot of legal disputes. Demyx frowned, shaking his head as the doorbell rang.

"Zexy, why don't you just walk in?" he asked as he pulled the door open.

Zexion shrugged. "I don't live here. It would be impolite."

Demyx laughed. "My mom isn't even home. And if she was, she would tell you the same thing." He glanced at his boyfriend's clothes beneath his unzipped coat and the strap of his bass bag. A pair of black pants, and yet another turtle-necked sweater. "Zexy, I know that it's a little cold outside, but on stage, you're going to sweat to death. Why didn't you wear something cooler?"

He pulled the neck of his sweater down a bit, revealing his still-fading marks. "Um…remember this? I still can't believe my aunt hasn't noticed."

Demyx laughed, pulling Zexion into the house. "Well, we can fix that. Come on!"

They returned to Demyx's room, where he rummaged through his closet. He pulled out an assortment of t-shirts and even a few vests, instructing Zexion to try a few on and pick one he liked. After a few changes, Zexion decided on one of the many black band shirts, immediately vetoing all of the vests. Demyx snickered, seeing the few blotches on his lover's neck.

"This will never work," Zexion sighed, hands falling hopelessly to his sides. "You've marked me for life. These things are never going to go away."

He reached for his sweater and started to pull off the band shirt, but Demyx stopped him.

"No, Zexy! I'm not done yet!"

Zexion frowned. "How are we going to cover these with this shirt?"

"We aren't. We're going to cover them with _this_." He held up and old black scarf and a pair of scissors. "We're just going to make a few adjustments."

He placed the scarf around Zexion's neck, taking a quick measurement, then removed it and started cutting. Then, he replaced the much smaller piece of fabric around his lover, seeing that he'd cut it about an inch too short, leaving a tiny bit of Zexion's throat showing. Regardless, Demyx smiled, grabbing two large safety pins and pinning the two sides of the fabric together, creating a very thick choker he preferred to call a "neck cuff." He smiled proudly, letting Zexion view himself in the mirror.

"Safety pins make nice accessories nowadays," Demyx said, one elbow on Zexion's shoulder. "You look good! I'm so proud!"

"That is good," Zexion replied, glancing at his new accessory. "It's a lot more comfortable than _that_ thing, too." He smiled. "Thanks, Dem."

Demyx leaned over and gave him a quick kiss just as the doorbell rang again, signifying that the others had arrived. They joined Saix, Marluxia, Axel, Roxas, and Larxene in the garage, where they made their short set list again, being that they hadn't practiced all week, and ran through the songs until Lexaeus arrived. They went through the packing, driving, and unpacking like they always did, with Axel usually dropping someone's equipment, today being Marluxia's keyboard stand.

Once they had set up, they all sat around with Xaldin, drinking their free sodas. He seemed abnormally antsy today, and Demyx found himself wondering what exactly was going on. It was clear that both Lexaeus and Larxene were in on it, and even Roxas seemed to be finding his way into the loop. Despite Marluxia's begging, Larxene refused to surrender whatever information she had.

Vexen and Luxord showed up just minutes before the band went onstage, taking their seats near the small stage. The same nervous, bubbly feeling overtook Demyx again, just like it always did. Zexion quickly rubbed the blonde's shoulders, then pat him on the back. The slate-haired teen didn't have to say anything. Demyx knew that he was encouraging, letting Demyx know that everything would turn out fine, as it had before.

As they walked onstage, Demyx noticed that the crowd was much bigger than before. He never recognized many of the faces, but all of these people crammed into the little bar just to see them play? They all knew who he was, and his band mates. He gulped, feeling every bit of heat from the stage lighting as the others started to play. When it came time to sing, he nearly choked, remembering the lyrics just in time.

"_I'm fighting to keep my heart as the darkness pulls me apart,_

_Finding my way, fading away…"_

And then he was okay. Once he got started, it was all natural. Time seemed to go by so fast, and by the time they'd finished playing, Demyx couldn't have sworn the hours were minutes. To his surprise, the crowds were still fairly large. When they walked over to the bar afterwards, many people stopped them, praising and telling them how talented they were. Axel tried to con a beer from Xaldin, but the barkeep was insistent on abiding the law (though they shouldn't have been in the bar in the first place).

At around one o'clock, they decided it was time to start packing up to go home. The customers were still there, but the band would be using the back door, so they wouldn't have any trouble. As the others started to pack, Demyx dismissed himself to use the bathroom. He made his way through the crowds, several people clapping his shoulder.

But halfway there, he was actually stopped by someone.

"Hey, kid!" the man called.

Demyx looked the man over. He was tall, with long black, silver-streaked hair tied in a ponytail near the base of his neck. He wore and eyepatch, along with a plain grey business suit, that wasn't buttoned. Though it was clear this man was a professional at whatever he did, his appearance was somewhat uncommon. He had quite a few visible scars, and the way he spoke seemed…uncanny. He grinned, and Demyx wasn't quite sure what to expect.

"Hey, kid," the man repeated. "You're the frontman of that band that was just playing, right?"

Demyx nodded. "I wouldn't say 'frontman,' but I'm in the band."

The man laughed. "Modest, huh? Name's Xigbar. I'm a good friend of Xaldin's. He's been telling me to come see you guys play for months now, but I've got quite a busy schedule. I gotta admit, I didn't think you would be as good as you are. You seem to be the sensible one─"

"─Actually, that's Zexy─"

"─So I figured I would talk to you. I─" His cell phone began to ring and he glanced at the ID, then frowned. "Gotta take this, kid. Client troubles are a bitch. You can count on me being here next time you play. I'll…talk to you a little more then."

Xigbar flicked his phone open as he walked away, talking fast to his caller. Demyx watched, extremely confused, as the man disappeared into the crowd.

_What a strange man…_

By the time he'd reached the restrooms, Demyx had already forgotten about his strange visitor.

* * *

Now you know what I'm going to say. Please, please review! I love your reviews.

This story will probably only be a few more chapters. There's a few more things I have planned. But I have an idea for yet another Zemyx fic, so I might start one when this one is finished. It won't be a sequel, though. Let me know what you guys think!


	13. Waiting

First, I would like to apologize for the awfulness of this chapter. It gave me such a hard time. I don't usually have trouble writing for this story, but this chapter was just a pain. I guess it's not that bad, but...well, you guys are the ones who will really decide. I know there's a bit of skipping around, but I didn't want to babble too much just to fill in the blanks.

So here it is.

Thank you all so much for reviewing. My loyal reviewers, I love you so much! And my new reviewers, thank you. I love you, too. Thank you all for reading!

* * *

"Well, guys, looks like I'm going to college after all," Axel sighed, sitting in his chair at the lunch table the following Wednesday. "Isn't karma a bitch?"

Marluxia looked at Axel in surprise. "But you said you didn't apply anywhere."

"Yeah, that was way back in October. You haven't asked me since then."

"I didn't know that was a requirement to find out these things…"

"What made you change your mind?" Saix asked, picking up his cards.

"Roxas persuaded me," Axel continued, ignoring the pink-haired man's previous comment. "And Reno helped, too. And Zex, not that I don't appreciate you helping me get hired at the pizza shop, but that is not something I want to be doing forever."

Zexion nodded. Upon returning to work once his neck had healed over the weekend, he'd placed a "good" word in for Axel to one of the managers in charge of hiring. The manager interviewed and hired him the next day. He'd been working there for a total of two days and was already complaining.

Demyx glanced at Axel. "So you got accepted to a college? Where did you apply?"

"Twilight University," Axel spoke as if it was obvious. "Where else would I apply?"

"Wait a minute," Zexion snapped. "_You_ applied to Twilight U at the last second, and still received an answer before me? You…wha…._How_ is that possible?"

Axel shrugged. "Miracles do happen on occasion."

"Don't feel bad, Zexy," Demyx said, placing a hand on the flustered Zexion's shoulder. "I haven't heard anything yet either."

"But if Axel got in, you two don't really need an answer," Larxene snickered.

"Maybe they're sending them out alphabetically?" Vexen suggested. "Roxas and I already got our acceptance letters, and both of our last names start with A. Marluxia got his shortly after, and Axel got his a few days ago, though I don't know why he hesitated to tell us. If they are, you should be hearing from them soon, Zexion. You, too Larxene. Sorry, Demyx and Saix. You guys will hear from them last."

"That's why I'm skipping college," Luxord grinned, handing his cards to Mr. Highwind as the teacher approached. "I'm going straight to the jackpot."

"Yer goin' straight to detention," Mr. Highwind chimed in. "I'm sick a' tellin' ya about these cards. I'll see ya after school."

Luxord frowned as the teacher walked away. "Detention?! Wh-why didn't he give it to you guys, too?"

Vexen and Saix both shrugged, only Saix speaking. "Maybe because all of the munny is in front of you."

"Hey, did anyone do the math homework for Mr. Strife's class?" Axel asked.

Roxas nodded. "I did."

"Good." Axel pulled out his notebook and pencil. "Because I didn't. Hand it over."

"Axel! How do you expect to do well in college if you can't get by on your own homework?"

"I was working really hard last night! I didn't have time."

"Zexy worked last night, too," Demyx smiled. "He still did his homework. And he has Calculus, not that wimpy math that we have."

"Well, Zexion doesn't require sleep or food to survive," Axel quipped. "He feeds on other people's suffering and knowledge."

Zexion smirked. "Which is _exactly_ why I'd better get into that school if _you_ did."

* * *

Zexion rooted through the mail as soon as he got home, Demyx trailing behind. The slate-haired teen was elated upon seeing that he had, in fact, received something from Twilight University, which led them to believe Vexen's theory. With his aunt, Saix, and Demyx standing around him, Zexion tore the letter open excitedly, his eyes soaking up the words. Then, much happier than he'd spoken with the first college letter, he shared the news.

"I got in!"

"Yay!" Demyx smiled, squeezing Zexion as the shorter boy wrapped his arms around his neck. "Congratulations!"

Saix clapped his younger cousin's shoulder. "Good job, bud."

His aunt repeated her actions from last time, pinching Zexion's cheeks. This time, he didn't seem nearly as perturbed. "I'm so proud of you, honey! Make sure you call your parents and let them know! You have quite a decision to make now."

She grabbed up the cordless telephone, dialing family members' numbers and walking into the living room. Saix smiled, repeating his congratulations, then walked upstairs to his room. Demyx, on the other hand, simply looked at Zexion knowingly.

"You didn't tell her yet, did you?" he asked.

Zexion frowned. "Not yet. But my aunt will understand no matter what school I choose. My parents will be the ones that complain. But if they can get over what happened at Christmas, I'm sure they'll be fine in the end."

Demyx nodded. "Me, too. I hope I get a letter soon. The anticipation is killing me now. Especially knowing that Axel got in and I haven't heard anything."

Zexion smiled, taking Demyx's hand and dragging him upstairs. "I'm sure you'll get in, Dem. Your grades are better than his. Come on, I have to get ready for work. Are you going to walk with me today?"

"I thought Axel said he would drive you."

"Oh, that's right. But you wouldn't leave me in that car alone with him, would you? I mean, Axel's not exactly the most…careful of drivers."

"He's…better than he used to be. You'll be fine, Zexy. It's just down the street. I…have a few things to do today."

Zexion's eyes lit up with curiosity. "You do?"

Demyx grinned, seeing the look in his boyfriend's eyes. "Yes, I do. And no, you're not going to trick me into telling you what it is. And before you protest, yes, I know how dangerous you can be when you're scheming, but trust me. It's nothing bad."

The shorter boy grinned, apparently pleased with what had just been said about him. "Fine. If you're leaving me with Axel, will you at least walk across the street with me?"

"Of course I will."

Once Zexion had changed into his uniform, the two walked outside and headed across the street. Axel was already standing by the car, surprisingly without Roxas. Most of the snow had melted, only a few clumps resting in people's yards and along the roadsides. Axel raising his eyebrows as Zexion approached, then glanced at his watch.

"You're thirty-two seconds late," Axel notified. "If I was a bus driver, I would have left without you."

"Sorry," Zexion apologized. "Where's Roxas?"

"He was going to his cousin's house today. Sora, I think was the name. I've only met him once. He lives out by Twilight University. It's really freaky just how much those two look alike, too. If I didn't know any better, aside from the hair color, I'd think they were twins." He motioned his head to get in the car. "Come on. You riding along, Dem?"

"Not today," Demyx replied. "I'll see you guys later."

He and Zexion exchanged kisses and "I love yous," Axel muttering about how sickening it was. Demyx knew he was just jealous. He watched as Zexion and Axel climbed into the car, not starting toward his house until Axel's car was out of sight. Then, he walked home to put away his school supplies. He didn't want to bring his backpack with him on a job hunt.

He checked the mailbox before walking inside. All junk mail and nothing for him. The anticipation was killing him. He knew Zexion was going to choose Twilight U, so how would Demyx's plans of rooming with him work if _he_ didn't get accepted? Even before they were dating, his plan had been to propose roommateship to Zexion, who was his best friend. Now that they were dating, it was an added bonus.

After putting his schoolbag away, he headed back outside, grateful that the weather wasn't too bad. He'd wanted to find a job for a while now, especially if he planned on going to school. Though his mother made good munny and had already explained that she would put forth most of the munny to pay for schooling, Demyx didn't want to strand her with full tuition. And besides, his allowance wouldn't get him through forever. He really wanted to earn munny the way Zexion did. That way, when Zexion's birthday rolled around (as it would be soon), he could get his love a good present.

His trip didn't take long. He walked the short distance to the busier areas of town and applied at a few different shops, the most promising being a position as a desk clerk at a dry-cleaning store. The owner had taken his application directly and gave him a quick interview. The man had assured Demyx he would hear within a few days whether or not he'd gotten the job.

* * *

Later that night, as Demyx waited for his nightly phone call from Zexion, he found himself pondering. School only had a little more than three months left, then graduation would be here. He knew Zexion would most likely be on stage with the top few members of their class, and he would be left with the rest of the seniors in the graduate section. At least Saix would be somewhere near him. And he couldn't imagine what Axel would possibly be doing. Then summer would arrive. The last summer before they all departed to college.

What would happen to the band? Marluxia had already decided to go to Twilight University, and Axel had announced today that he would be doing the same. Obviously, that was where Zexion wanted to go. If only he and Saix would receive their letters soon, it was possible the whole band could attend. But would the band survive, or would it disintegrate with the new flow of life?

Demyx had always hoped that they would luck out somehow, that some big-time manager from some record label would stumble across them. That had always been his dream. That one day, Melodious Nocturne could someday be heard on the radio, and they could play on a stage in front of thousands of people. The thought had always brought Demyx instant joy, even when the others would talk about how unlikely it was. They were all in the band for the fun and the music. If they ever had that kind of chance would the others even want it?

As Demyx pondered this, he found himself wondering if _he_ would even want it. He'd always wanted to share their music with the world. To have a way to keep his close friends together. But mostly, he'd wanted it so that he knew Zexion would stay in his life. If the band had been signed and made it big, he and Zexion would have toured the world together, and Demyx would have never had to reveal his feelings.

But things weren't like that anymore. He didn't need a record label to keep Zexion in his life, and he knew that now. What if they were to be signed now? Would fangirls, and even fanboys, be desperate enough to try to steal his Zexion away from him? Though he didn't think Zexion would act that way, Demyx disliked the thought of having to fight fans for Zexion's attention. But to play in front of all those people…

All Demyx really wanted was to lead his life with Zexion by his side. That had been his intention the entire time. Now that he knew he could do that without signing a contract with a record label, the idea of making it big was just a bonus, not a dream. No, Demyx's real dreams had already come true.

He sighed, leaning back on his bed, thinking about all of the practices the band had in the garage. He hoped that they would continue to do so and still play their little gigs at Xaldin's pub, maybe─

_Wait! Xaldin's pub. That guy from the other night….What was his name?_

_Xigbar?_

Demyx had forgotten all about the strange man. In fact, he'd been so tired that night, he thought the whole meeting may have been a dream. Was it possible that…he was out to sign them? No, that couldn't be. He said he was just a friend of Xaldin's. Perhaps he should question the bar owner about this Xigbar. Until he got to the bottom of it, he didn't want to mention the meeting to the others.

Demyx sat up as his cell phone started to ring, yearning to mention the meeting to Zexion. But he couldn't. At least, not yet. Right now, he had other things to figure out.

"Hey, Zexy!" he answered. "So, tell me what you want for your birthday!"

* * *

The owner of the dry-cleaning store, Mr. Geppetto, was a friendly old man, who had quite a collection of puppets in the back of the store. He'd called Demyx the next day, granting the job and asking when he could start. Demyx, clearly excited, had offered to come in as soon as possible, which Mr. Geppetto gladly granted. He started the day after getting the job, which happened to be a Friday. Zexion was proud of him, which made Demyx even happier about getting the job.

The other clerk that trained him, an extremely hyper-active girl named Yuffie, was equally as friendly as Mr. Geppetto. She was just as talkative as she was hyper, and Demyx got along with her well. Unfortunately, once he was through training, he wouldn't be working with her. Only one clerk was there at a time, so she would be working when he wasn't. There were two other clerks that Demyx didn't meet, Yuffie informed, but they were older and worked the dayshift. The evening shifts would be split between her and Demyx.

The job, however, was extremely boring. All he did was sit behind the desk and wait for customers to pick up their items. When they arrived, he retrieved the finished product from the racks, then collected the payment. The clerks weren't permitted to do any of the dry-cleaning. Only Mr. Geppetto and his business partner, a quiet young man by the name of Vincent who had scary red eyes, were permitted to do the dry-cleaning. Fortunately, Mr. Geppetto permitted them to bring some kind of entertainment, as long as the customers were taken care of first.

It wasn't until the following Wednesday that Demyx finally got what he'd been waiting for. After school, he'd followed Zexion home to accompany his boyfriend as he got ready to go to work. As it had become routine, he also accompanied him to Axel's car, watching as they drove to the pizza shop. Demyx had the day off, so he walked home to wait until Zexion was done. But that changed when he looked in the mailbox and saw a piece of mail with his name on it.

It had finally arrived. The letter from Twilight University!

Demyx knew he should wait until his mother was home before opening it, but he just couldn't wait. He tore the envelope open, trying not to rip the folded paper inside. He scanned it quickly, and before he knew it, he was tearing off down the sidewalk toward the pizza shop, school supplies and all.

"Zexy! Zexy!"

The shift manager glared at him as he burst through the doors. She was a pretty woman, despite the scary red eyes burning holes through him, but Demyx didn't care. He saw his slate-haired love standing near the cash register, his blue eyes wide with surprise. Demyx rushed over to him, making sure to stay on the customer's side of the counter. Axel poked his head over the half-wall behind Zexion, where the ovens were located.

"Zexy!" Demyx huffed between breaths. He'd run the entire ten blocks.

"Nakamura!" the manager called. "Calm your friend."

Zexion ignored the woman, looking worriedly at Demyx, unsure of what was going on. "What is it, Dem? Did something happen?"

Demyx slapped the paper on the counter in front of him, pointing his finger at the words. "It's from Twilight U! I got in, Zexy! I got in! I'm going to college!"

"That's great, Demyx!" He gave Demyx a hug over the counter. "I'm proud of you."

"Now we can be roommates!"

Axel laughed. "That'll be a lot of dorm sex!"

Zexion blushed furiously. "Axel!"

"Kimura!" the manager shouted, looking at the redhead. "Do you _want_ to be fired? Get to work!"

Axel's head dipped beneath the wall again. The manager shook her head, then walked slowly over to Zexion. Demyx started to worry, fearing he'd just gotten his boyfriend fired. But the manager offered a gentle smile, placing her hand on Zexion's shoulder.

"I like you, Nakamura," she spoke, her voice low. "You're a good worker, aside from that little lie about Kimura being sane." A small thud echoed from behind the short wall, along with Axel's muffled grunt of pain. "Get to work and stop trying to eavesdrop, Axel!" She shook her head, then looked back to Zexion. "Anyway, why don't you take the day off? This kind of thing only happens once. And I can see that…"

"Demyx," Zexion reminded.

"Of course. How could I forget? You also work with my brother, Vincent. Well, I can see that Demyx is excited about this. Go spend the day with him. If I need someone to cover for you, I'll have Axel come up here. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Zexion smiled. "Thanks, Lulu. I owe you one."

"You owe me two. I know about that week you were out 'sick.' Kimura slipped up. Don't worry, I won't let the boss know. Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Zexion quickly punched out, grabbing his jacket from the break room in the back, and returning to Demyx. Lulu offered the two of them a friendly smile, her red eyes still somewhat frightening to Demyx. As they walked toward the door, Roxas walked inside, waving as they passed. They heard Lulu groan as she saw the most recent customer, and Demyx had a feeling chaos was about to ensue.

"Why didn't you tell me it's so fun at work?" Demyx asked as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Fun?" Zexion laughed. "Most of the people I work with are crazy. Lulu is really the only sane one, and she's not letting me forget that it's my fault she hired Axel. I'd much rather have your job. I could do a lot of reading there."

"I could do a lot of reading there, too. But usually I just talk to Vincent since he's usually the one working with me. Actually, I do most of the talking. He just kind of listens. So what do you want to do today, Zexy, now that you have the day off?"

"Whatever you want to do, Dem, as long as I get out of this uniform."

Demyx grinned devilishly. "I have a few ways to do that. We could wait until my mom gets home, then tell her that I'm going to college. She'll want to celebrate….then we could do some celebrating of our own."

Zexion smiled. "We'll see about all that. Let's go!"

* * *

I don't know why, I just think Lulu and Vincent could be siblings. But there it is. Reviews are welcome! If you have any ideas or suggestions, I'm open to them. Just PM me and let me know. Opinions are welcome, too. I don't know how much longer the story will be. I said it would only be a few more chapters last time, but I'm really not sure. I'm just going to let it play out and see how it goes. Thanks to those of you who have added me to their Favorites and who have reviewed. I really appreciate it more than words can say. If I could, I would hug you all!

Until next chapter!


	14. Gift of Song

Thanks for more great reviews, everybody! And I see a lot of people have been adding this story to their Alerts/Favorites. Thanks for doing that, too. It makes me feel really good to see that people like my writing.

* * *

_Poor Zexy_, Demyx thought as he rushed down the sidewalk after school. _Sick on his birthday. I'll make him feel all better!_

It was the middle of April, the month of rain, though today was fairly nice. On the days like today, they would walk to school instead of having Axel drive. This morning, when he'd walked to Zexion's house, he'd met with Saix on the sidewalk, who informed him that Zexion wasn't feeling too good. Despite Zexion's protests, Mrs. Tajima had forced him back to bed, not permitting him to go to school. As Axel hopped across the street with Reno yelling behind, Demyx's phone buzzed with a text message from Zexion.

_It looks like we won't be enjoying my birthday together after all._

Demyx glanced up to Zexion's bedroom window, where the blinds were usually drawn, to see Zexion standing in the window, waving sadly. Demyx simply grinned at him, typing a message back.

_We'll c bout that. I'll c u after skool._

Zexion smiled after reading the message and Demyx saw him typing back.

_But you'll get sick. Remind me to give you a spelling and grammar lesson before college. Get to school before you're late! Can you get my homework for me, please?_

Demyx laughed. Zexion was still smiling, waving as they started down the sidewalk. Demyx returned the gesture, feeling sad as he watched Zexion draw the blinds again. He sent him one last message before catching up to Axel, Larxene, and Saix.

_Sure thing, Zexy. Feel better!_

Now that school was over, he'd walked home with his friends. Axel and Saix departed as they reached their homes, and Demyx continued to his house alone. Marluxia had gotten detention for drawing in his textbook again, so Larxene had decided to wait for him at the school. Demyx wasn't sure how many of their friends would still stop by to visit Zexion, but he knew that he was going for sure. He just had to pick up a few things before stopping by.

Upon reaching his bedroom, he dumped his notebooks out of his schoolbag, opting to use it to carry Zexion's birthday present (and homework) instead. Though he didn't think the gift he had chosen for his love was as good as what he'd received, he was sure Zexion would still like the gift. He also packed up his sitar. There was something special he wanted to play for Zexion before the other band members could hear it…

Mrs. Tajima greeted him with a smile after he knocked on the front door. "Demyx, honey, you know you don't have to knock. Zexion's upstairs in his room. He hasn't been feeling well today, and might be contagious. But if you're willing to take the chance, you're more than welcome to go up and wake him. And try to make him eat something since he hasn't eaten all day." She shook her head as Demyx took off his shoes. "Poor thing. Sick on his eighteenth birthday. If you can get him to stay awake, let him know that there is cake and ice cream if he's feeling up to it."

Demyx nodded as Mrs. Tajima walked into the kitchen. He walked up the stairs, trying to keep his footfall quiet and carrying his bags closely. Saix, on the other hand, didn't seem to be concerned about disturbing his sick cousin. His bedroom door was open and he was sitting at his computer, loud music blaring from the speakers. He glanced at Demyx and waved, turning the music down slightly.

"How's he doing?" Demyx nearly whispered.

Saix shrugged. "I haven't seen him. He's been asleep since I got home. Mom says he's been sleeping since around noon. If you get him up, tell him I have his birthday card whenever he wants it."

Demyx smiled, memorizing the second message. Then, he stepped to Zexion's door. He knocked ever so lightly, and then stepped inside. The room was darkened, both the blinds and curtains shut tight to keep the sunlight out. Zexion was curled up in a ball on one side of his bed, bundled beneath a lump of blankets. Despite feeling sorry that Zexion was sick, he couldn't help but smile. His Zexy looked so cute when he was sleeping.

As Demyx neared closer, he could hear the soft sound of his lover's breathing. He quietly placed his schoolbag and sitar case on the floor, then kneeled beside the bed. Zexion didn't stir, and though it was somewhat dark, Demyx could tell that his face was somewhat flushed from illness. Unable to resist the urge, Demyx lifted a hand and felt Zexion's forehead, which was quite hot. He frowned, caressing Zexion's cheek sympathetically, inadvertently causing the slate-haired young man to stir. He stretched his arms above his head tiredly, his eyes blinking open a moment later.

"Hey, Dem," he spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse. He coughed a few times.

Demyx offered a small smile. "Hey, Zexy. Happy Birthday! Why are you all scrunched up on this little corner of the bed? You should be taking over the whole thing!"

Zexion looked at him, confused. "That's your side, Dem."

Demyx laughed, watching as Zexion sat up and flicked on the small reading lamp on his nightstand. "How do you feel?"

"A little better, now that you're here. But you should have worn a mask. You're going to get sick."

"I wasn't going to miss your birthday just because I could get sick. Besides, you're eighteen today! You're legal now."

Zexion coughed, then smiled. "You know, if Axel heard that, he would make so many jokes."

"Yeah. Anyway, I was told to deliver some messages to you. Saix says he has your birthday card whenever you want it. And your aunt says that you need to eat something."

"She made me some soup earlier. Besides, I'm quarantined to my room."

Demyx glanced at the bowl on the nightstand, filled to the brim with cold noodle soup. He raised his eyebrows in doubt. "It looks like you never even touched it. I agree with your aunt, you need to eat. Being sick is not an excuse for skipping meals."

"But I'm not hungry."

Demyx smiled as Zexion's tummy growled. "Really?"

"Okay. Maybe a little, but…"

"But what?"

"Well, I had a few spoonfuls of the soup, but…I threw up, and now I'm afraid to eat because I don't like throwing up." Zexion shivered. "It's the worst feeling in the world! And until today, I haven't thrown up since the sixth grade. I don't want it to happen again."

"Aw, poor Zexy! Well, maybe this will help you feel better!"

Demyx stood from his place and walked over to his backpack, zipping it open and digging through it. He pulled out one of the small treats he'd gotten for Zexion, something not even worth wrapping. It was one of his lover's favorite treats. He held the bag up, smiling as he waved them in front of Zexion, who grabbed at them only to have them pulled away.

"I brought these because I know how much you like them," Demyx chided. "But you need to promise me that you'll eat some soup later."

Zexion looked at Demyx innocently. "I promise. Now hand over the gummy bears, please."

Demyx tore the bag open and handed it over. Zexion smiled, picking out most of the red ones first and chewing them happily. He pat the empty side of the bed for Demyx to sit next to him. Before taking his seat, Demyx walked back over to his backpack and pulled out Zexion's birthday gift, which was neatly wrapped with birthday-designed wrapping paper. He took the seat on "his" side of the bed, extending the gift to his lover.

"Here," he spoke, his voice somewhat timid. "It's not as good as the gift you got me, but I think you'll like it. At least, I hope so."

Zexion looked at him, his head leaning back against the headboard. "Dem, you didn't have to get me anything."

"Yes, I did. You got me the most awesome gifts ever! And besides, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't get you a birthday present? Just open it!"

Zexion placed the bag of gummy bears on the lump of blankets between them, then took the first gift Demyx offered. He smiled, then started to tear the wrapping paper off. Demyx watched, as Zexion's face grew brighter upon seeing his new Nintendo DS. For a moment, Zexion was speechless.

"You don't have any video games here," Demyx spoke, trying to sound reasonable. "So I thought you would enjoy one."

"I love it, Dem," Zexion said, clearly surprised. "But I know these things aren't cheap. You didn't have to─"

"I know, I know. But I have a job now, and I wanted to. Here, these go with it. I thought you would like them."

He handed over two more gifts, which Zexion opened to reveal as games. The first was the New Super Mario Brothers, and the second was a Brain Age game. Zexion smiled again, leaning over and giving Demyx a hug. He started to lean in to give Demyx a kiss, but stopped, frowning.

"I…don't want to get you sick," he said, his voice quiet.

"Then I'll get myself sick," Demyx answered, his voice equally as low.

He leaned over, closing the space between them and pressed his lips to Zexion's. Despite his illness, Zexion's kisses still tasted of peppermint, and Demyx smiled into the kiss. Once the kissing ended, Zexion rested his head gently on Demyx's shoulder, and Demyx once again placed a hand on his forehead.

"Have you taken your temperature today, Zexy?" he chided. "You still feel fevered."

Zexion groaned. "I'm fine. I'll be back in school by tomorrow."

"I don't know about that. By the way, you only have Calculus homework, and all of the school's senior class English teachers are getting on us about our senior research papers. Everyone who has Ms. Gainsborough has to have their rough drafts ready by Friday. I still have to start mine!"

"My rough draft is already done. I did mine on the Human Psyche and Illusions. What's your topic, Dem? Maybe I can help you."

"I chose the Evolution of Music. I've been researching how music has gone from Classical to what it is today. I've found a lot of stuff, but I'm having some trouble actually putting it to writing."

"Did you bring your research? We can work on it together."

"Absolutely not!" Demyx said, shaking his head. "You are not doing my homework on your birthday! We can work on it tomorrow. And your homework can wait until tonight. It will only take you five minutes anyway."

Zexion smiled. "Okay. So, what's with bringing your sitar? Are we going to practice without everyone else?"

Demyx immediately felt his face flush. "N-no. I…brought it for another reason."

Zexion waited for Demyx to continue. When the blonde didn't speak, he asked, "Why?"

"Erm…I…Let me show you."

He stood from the bed, so nervous that he could actually feel Zexion's eyes watching him. First, he unzipped the bag that held his sitar, removing it carefully and placing it on the bed near his love. Then, he walked back over to his backpack, reaching tenderly into the folder he'd bought just for these two sheets of paper. He removed the papers, then walked back to his seat on the bed next to Zexion. He picked up his sitar, laying the papers on the bed in front of him.

Zexion looked confused for a moment, recognizing one of the papers. "The poem I wrote you?" Then, he realized what was going on. "Dem, you…"

Demyx blushed, surprised he was able to keep eye contact. "I hope you don't mind. I put it to song, for you. I'm not so good at writing poems, but yours is perfect for the way I feel for you, too. I only changed it a little so that it goes with the music."

Demyx placed his written copy of the new song/poem on top of the original, then cleared his throat. He felt even more nervous singing for just Zexion than he did singing in front of crowds of people. Then, after taking in a shaky breath, he started to strum his sitar, singing softly.

"_When we first met, you stole my heart away,_

_And never did I imagine where I'd be today._

_You light up my world with one precious smile._

_Even when it wasn't for me, I was praying all the while._

_And now that you're here and by my side,_

_Whoever said love isn't real…they lied._

_I can't help but smile every time you speak._

_The color of your eyes makes my heart skip a beat._

_All the worries I had from the past 'til today,_

_With you beside me, they all melt away._

_And each time you speak, I love every single word._

_Because the sound of your voice is the sweetest song I've ever heard._

_Every time you speak, my heart is on fire._

_You're all that I want, all I desire._

_And even if everyone in the world disapproves,_

_In the end I'll still be standing right here with you._

_I can't help but smile every time you speak._

_The color of your eyes makes my heart skip a beat._

_All the worries I had from the past 'til today,_

_With you beside me, they all melt away._

_And each time you speak, I love every single word._

_Because the sound of your voice is the sweetest song I've ever heard._

_And each time you speak, I love every single word._

_Because the sound of your voice is the sweetest song I've ever heard._

_And even if the whole world ends, all my thoughts are clear._

_All for you I'll be standing, I'll be waiting here."_

Zexion was silent, still looking Demyx firmly in the eyes. Knowing his face was still red, Demyx suddenly knew exactly how Zexion felt when he didn't speak after hearing the poem for that first time in the library. Then, Zexion lurched forward, wrapping his arms around the blonde, squeezing him tightly.

"Dem…" he said, his voice nearly a whisper. "It sounds so much better when you sing it. That…was amazing. Thank you…"

Demyx smiled, letting his sitar rest softly on the bed and hugging his slate-haired love tightly. "Happy Birthday, Zexy. I love you."

They remained in each other's embrace for a long moment, and Demyx found himself pondering again. How had he been so lucky to get everything he ever wanted? The one and only person he had ever fallen head over heels for was his now. All of his close friends were going to the same college, and it seemed the band would stay together. And…

_Xigbar…_

"Dem, you okay?" Zexion was asking, waving a hand in front of Demyx's face.

He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts, he'd barely noticed they weren't hugging anymore. "Yeah, I'm fine, Zexy."

"Good. I don't want you to be sick, too. What I said was you should play that at our next gig. I think the crowds would really like a sitar acoustic. It would be a nice change from our normal stuff."

Demyx smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

_Xigbar. Should I say something?_

"Dem? You're spacing out again. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," the blonde replied. "Zexy, can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You should know you can ask me anything. What's bothering you?"

"If…our band got offered a record deal, would you want to sign for it, or would you decline?"

Zexion looked a bit thrown off by the question. "Well…I would do whatever you wanted to do. That's always been your dream, Dem. I wouldn't want to do anything to ruin that for you. So I would let you decide. I wouldn't be upset either way." He paused. "Why do you ask?"

Demyx sighed, deciding to share his encounter. "Well, I haven't told anyone about this yet, but….The last time we played at Xaldin's pub, a man stopped me when I was heading for the restroom. He looked like some kind of executive, but I don't know what kind. He said his name was Xigbar, and he was talking to be about the band. He said he was a friend of Xaldin's and he's been trying to come see us play for months now. But before he really said anything else, he got a phone call that he said he had to take. Before he walked away, he said that I could count on him being at our next show. I don't know why, but I think he might work for some record company. I think that's what Xaldin, Larxene and Lexaeus have been talking about this whole time. Or I'm just looking too much into it, and he's just a creepy stalker…"

Zexion raised a hand near his chin, appearing to be thinking. "That is quite strange. Have you been thinking about this all this time?"

Demyx nodded. "Yeah. I forgot about it for a while, thinking maybe I had dreamt it since I was so tired that night. But I know that it really happened. I just haven't been sure how to approach everyone about it. I mean, it could be nothing. He could just be some guy who thinks we're cool. But the way he acted…I really think he could be out to sign us."

The slate-haired young man was silent for a moment before speaking. "Well, as I said, the decision is completely up to you. I won't say anything to the others. You're the one in charge of the band, and whatever you decide, I'll back you up. Maybe we can just wait until the next gig and see if he really does show up. You can discuss it with the others whenever you're ready."

"Yeah," Demyx said, smiling. "I'm glad I told you, Zexy. I knew that you would have the right things to say."

Both of them looked toward the door as a timid knock sounded. Mrs. Tajima poked her head inside after a moment, smiling at the two boys sitting on the bed. She slowly walked over to Zexion, carrying a bottle in one hand and a thermometer in the other. She placed her hand on his forehead, and then popped the thermometer in his mouth. He grimaced as the numbers rose, finally stopping at 101.6°F. Mrs. Tajima frowned, then forced some of the liquid medicine down Zexion's throat. He grumbled, looking like a cute little animal trying to get peanut butter from the roof of his mouth.

Mrs. Tajima laughed. "I know. Tastes bad, doesn't it? Why don't you come downstairs for some cake and ice cream? I'm sure it will help you feel better, dear. I'll go get the candles ready."

She walked away, and Demyx knew that she wasn't suggesting they have cake and ice cream. She was _ordering_ them to. Zexion's face was still scrunched up, trying to get the terrible taste out of his mouth. Demyx laughed, grabbing his boyfriend by the hand and pulling him out of the bed.

"Come on, Zexy," he said, glimpsing Zexion's flannel pajamas. "Let's go sing you the Birthday Song."

Zexion smiled, letting Demyx guide him down the steps. "Okay. But I still think I'll like your song better."

* * *

There's Chapter 14! We're getting closer to the end. There's still more, though! Thanks for reading, and reviews are appreciated. Until Chapter 15...


	15. Choices

Sorry this took so long! I had a bit of an inspiration for my story **Chance**, so all of you Zemyx fans should go read it if you haven't! But here's Chapter 15. Only one more to go after this, everyone! I hope you like it!

* * *

"Come on, Zexy! We're going to be late!"

"I'm coming. Just…give me about five minutes."

Demyx frowned, standing near the bottom of the steps at Zexion's house. Saix was standing next to him, the two of them already clad in their caps and gowns. Mr. and Mrs. Tajima were waiting patiently in the living room, as were Zexion's parents, who had flown in to see their son graduate. Demyx's mother was there, too, speaking casually with Mr. and Mrs. Nakamura. The Commencement ceremony would be starting in an hour, and graduates were supposed to be there forty-five minutes early. He could hear the sound of Reno talking outside, and he quickly peaked through the open front door to see both Axel and Reno climbing into Axel's car. Saix shook his head, tapping a foot with impatience, then looked at Demyx.

"_Axel_ is leaving before us?" Saix complained. "Demyx, why don't you go upstairs and see what he is doing? He's never does this before something so important."

Demyx nodded, then started up the steps to Zexion's room. He expected to find his boyfriend still getting ready, but that wasn't the case. Instead, Zexion was sitting on his bed, fully dressed for graduation. But something about him didn't look right, and Demyx was concerned. He was looking at the floor, but Demyx could tell he was…flustered. Demyx frowned, walking over to his lover and placed a hand on the young man's leg.

"Zexy, what's wrong?" he asked, kneeling in front of the slate-haired man.

Zexion shook his head, then slowly looked up. "Nothing. I'm not ready yet."

"What do you mean you're not ready? You look fine."

"That's not what I mean. I…I…" He appeared to be panicking now, standing up, hands flailing about. "I have to give a speech in front of hundreds of people tonight! I can't do it! I'm not ready! I don't want to go!"

Demyx followed the fretting graduate around the room, catching him by the shoulders. Zexion's breaths were short and quick, and Demyx thought he was going to pass out. "Zexy, calm down! Zexy…you've never been nervous to get onstage before. What's bothering you about it now?"

Zexion took in a few deep breaths, but he didn't seem to calm down at all. "It's different at the shows. When we're there, everyone is focusing on you, so it's not as hard for me. But tonight, I have to stand there and talk to everyone we're graduating with, plus their friends and families! I'm going to completely screw up, then I'll be remembered as 'the kid who completely flubbed his speech at graduation.' I…I don't want to do this…"

Demyx couldn't really blame him. Being salutatorian wasn't easy. Vexen had won the position of valedictorian, something Zexion seemed thankful for now. Demyx had always known that Zexion was somewhat shy, but he'd never seen him freaking out like this before. Not even before a show. He didn't realize just how much Zexion hated the spotlight until now.

"Zexy, sit down for a minute," Demyx spoke, his voice soothing. Zexion obeyed and Demyx took a seat next to him. "Take a deep breath. You're not going to screw this up. You've practiced for this several times, and you've nailed it every time─"

"Because I didn't have a real audience!"

The blonde held a finger to Zexion's lips, silencing him. "Shh. Just listen to me. You've been in front of crowds before. Everyone we're graduating with knows how smart you are. Everyone else will, too. I mean, you're second in the entire class for crying out loud! Even if you make a small mistake, they won't notice. And even if you do flub the whole thing, you still have me!"

Zexion gave a small smile, seeming somewhat calmer.

"See? It won't be that bad. Just pretend they aren't there, like it's just practice again. No matter what happens, I'll be proud of you for just getting up there." He smiled, offering Zexion a hand, which the shorter boy took. "Come on. If we don't get there, we're going to be known as 'the kids who _missed_ graduation.'"

Zexion nodded, grabbing the papers for his speech before the two headed downstairs. Saix raised his eyebrows upon seeing his cousin, deciding it would be best not to comment. Upon seeing Zexion was finally ready, all of their parents stopped conversing, and everyone headed out to their respective transport: The Tajima's and Zexion's parents in one car, and Demyx, his mother, and Zexion in another. Within a few minutes, they were at the school.

All of the seniors were supposed to gather in the cafeteria upon arriving, where they would line up and prepare for the march into the auditorium. So that's exactly where the soon-to-be graduates rushed to upon arriving. Axel, Roxas, Vexen, Marluxia, Luxord, and Larxene were clustered near the soda machines awaiting their arrival nervously.

"What the hell?" Axel said, uncrossing his arms as they approached. "_I_ got here before you? What happened?"

"We had a bit of a hold up," Saix replied, taking his placed beside Luxord, who was shuffling cards still.

"Well, no shit. I didn't think you guys were gonna show up."

Vexen glanced at Zexion, and even he looked nervous. "This whole speech thing has me quite rattled."

"Um…yeah," was all Zexion said, looking at his shoes as if they were suddenly interesting.

Demyx placed his hand on Zexion's shoulder, opening his mouth to speak. Unfortunately, Mr. Highwind's voice overpowered every other sound in the room.

"All right, ya hoodlums! Line up like ya were told, and don't screw this up! All yer mommies and daddies are watchin' ya! Go make 'em proud!" He approached their group, frowning. "Luxord, cards! I can't believe ya even brought 'em to graduation…"

He took the cards and walked away, leaving Luxord disappointed. The student body shuffled around, everyone trying to find their place in line. Zexion and the other students that would be sitting on the stage lined up separately. From his place near the back of the line, Demyx could tell that Zexion was trying to calm his nerves again. He knew his love would be shaky now, seeing Vexen's condition. But Demyx had all the more faith that he would do just fine.

The ceremony went beautifully. Vexen had delivered his speech wonderfully, not even making it noticeable that he was nervous. Zexion had started off somewhat shaky, but within a moment, he was his normal, calm self, and his speech was amazing. The entire auditorium gave a generous round of applause, though Demyx prided himself on being the loudest.

Then, after all the speeches were finished, Demyx watched all of his classmates walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. Vexen and Zexion were among the first, being on the stage, and Demyx felt himself tear up a bit. Among his friends sitting with him, Roxas was the first, timidly making his way across the stage and down the stairs. Then Marluxia, who waved gracefully to everyone. Axel, of course, made a scene by dancing around onstage, while Luxord famously had cards falling out of his gown the entire way across. Many loud whistles were heard as Larxene walked across, Marluxia's being the loudest. Saix went just before Demyx, receiving a loud applause. Demyx, coming last alphabetically, walked across happily, also cheered for loudly. As he shook hands with the school principal, he glimpsed Zexion from the corner of his eye. His slate-haired lover smiled proudly, giving a subtle nod of approval. And before they knew it, they were turning their tassels, walking out of the auditorium and into the real world as graduates.

After the ceremony, many students gathered in groups outside for what could be the last time. Under Axel's suggestion, their little group decided to go to a burger shop on the outskirts of town. After separating from their parents (and dropping off Reno in Axel's case), the group piled into Axel's and Marluxia's cars and set out.

It seemed like any normal outing, but Demyx noticed something different. Axel didn't seem to be himself. He was somewhat quiet, barely contributing to the conversations. He was a little worried, and after all the laughter and story-telling had subsided, Demyx decided to address the anomaly.

"So, Axel," he spoke, dipping a fry into his ketchup. "Is…everything alright? You seem like something is on your mind."

Axel glanced around, clearing his throat lowly. "Actually, there is something I was wondering about."

The others focused on him, a little concerned by actually seeing him serious. Roxas looked the most worried, and placed a comforting arm around the redhead's shoulders.

"What is it?" the spiky-haired blonde questioned.

"To be honest, I always thought that Demyx would be the one to start this conversation," Axel spoke, seeming like he was trying to laugh, but failed. "What it is…is that, well, we're graduates now. Pretty soon, we'll all be leaving for college, and we'll all be really busy with our school work. And I know that we started the band as something that was just for fun, but…what's going to happen to it now? I mean…" He sighed. "Okay, I know this is weird coming from me, but I don't want to see it fall apart, that's all. What do you guys plan on doing? Will you keep playing at gigs when they're offered? Or are we all…just going to quit?"

"I've been thinking about that, too," Marluxia said, even his tone serious. "I don't want to see the band fall apart either. It's what brought us all together. And it's not like we'll be going the far away. We can still have practice on weekends. I have a car now, so I can always help drive everyone home and stuff. So, no, I don't plan on quitting. What about you, Saix?"

Saix shrugged. "I like being in the band. The people in town like us, and I don't think we should stop playing just because we're getting older and pursuing careers. A lot of people have jobs and bands on the side. I don't want to quit."

"I don't want to quit, either!" Demyx chimed in. "I like the band too much. I like playing our little gigs, and I like hanging out with all of you. I think we should definitely stick together."

The others looked at Zexion, awaiting an answer. He gave a subtle smile, along with a short nod. "Of course I will stay with the band."

"I think you should all stick together," Vexen spoke. "You're one of the few things this town has to offer. And you inspire other kids to start bands. I think it would be for the best for everyone."

Luxord, Roxas, and Larxene nodded in agreement. Demyx smiled, returning to eating his fries, as did everyone else. He was glad they'd had this conversation. It was something he'd worried about for a long time and he was happy that they shared his enthusiasm for the band. He felt Zexion give him a delicate poke after a moment, then glanced at his lover from the corner of his eye. Zexion was giving him a look that Demyx recognized as the "speak now" look. Demyx knew what he wanted. Zexion thought this would be a good time to address the whole Xigbar situation. Though he wasn't sure exactly what to say, he knew that Zexion was right.

"So, guys, while we're talking about the band there's something I need to tell you," Demyx stated, unsure of how to word it. "Do you guys remember when we were packing up after our last gig, and I left for a few minutes? Well, I kind of ran into some guy named Xigbar who claimed to be Xaldin's friend. He was talking to me about the band, and he was dressed like some kind of executive. I…think he might be out to sign us. I'm not sure, though! So don't quote me if I'm wrong."

The others looked surprised. Axel was the first to speak.

"Some guy is out to sign us?! And you're just now telling us?"

"I don't know if he's out to sign us. I didn't want to say anything until I was sure. But since we're talking about these things, I thought now would be the best time to bring it up."

"Wait a minute," Marluxia spoke. "Some guy who might be out to sign us just shows up and says he's Xaldin's friend? After everything Xaldin has said about his friend that would like us? That couldn't be coincidence." He looked at Larxene, who was avoiding everyone's eye. "What do you know, my Nymph? Have you been hiding something from us?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but was apparently having the same troubles and Demyx. After a moment of putting her thoughts together, she started to explain. "Okay! I know who Xigbar is! Xaldin has been trying to get him to come see you guys for months now, and he told Lexaeus and me all about it. He was hinting about it to Roxas, but we kind of left him out of the loop a little because we knew if Axel heard it would ruin the surprise."

Axel pouted. "Hey!"

"So who is he?" Roxas asked. "Get to the point!"

Larxene hesitated. "I'm not supposed to be saying anything about this! I should have known that idiot Xigbar would screw all of our hard work up!"

"Just tell us who he is," Zexion spoke, sounding reasonable. "We already know he's been watching us. So you might as well tell us what's been going on."

"Fine. I haven't met him, but he does work for a record label. Xaldin is planning on reaching you guys this week to see if you will play next Friday night. Xigbar is supposed to be there with one of his superiors. If the higher-up likes you, they will most likely offer to sign you guys. What you say is totally up to you, so you guys better be ready. And don't you dare tell Xaldin that I snitched!"

Marluxia kissed her cheek. "We would never do such a thing."

Axel scoffed. "Speak for yourself! Well, guys, it looks like we have a decision to make. Let's get to talking about what we want to say to this Xigbar guy…"


	16. Forever

Okay everyone! This is the last chapter. I hope that you all like it. Sorry it took so long. I knew what I wanted to happen in this chapter, but it gave me a little trouble putting in on paper. Here it is!

* * *

Vincent raised his eyebrows, leaning against the doorframe that separated the lobby with the dry-cleaning area. "So that's really what you want to do?"

Demyx had been going on for nearly an hour about the entire Xigbar situation. It was Thursday, the day before the big show at Xaldin's pub. The closer it came, the more nervous Demyx was about the whole situation. Fortunately, the dry-cleaner was a good listener, and didn't seem to mind listening to Demyx's ranting. Vincent, who had finished all of the dry-cleaning for the day already, was waiting patiently for the last few minutes of their shift to pass, while Demyx kicked back at the desk. Since they'd been working together for quite some time now, Demyx no longer found Vincent's red eyes to be so scary. In fact, the longer he spoke with the man, the more he realized he would miss him when the time came to leave.

Demyx nodded in response to Vincent's question. "Yep. That's what we all decided."

"Well, I wish you the best. I hope your show goes well tomorrow."

"Thanks. You know, Vinny, you don't seem like the type that goes out too much. Maybe you should come see us play!

Vincent offered his rare, small smile. "Perhaps I will. Do you need a ride home tonight?"

"No thanks, Vinny. Zexy's parents got him a car as a graduation present, so he's all excited to come pick me up in it. It's a stick shift, and he's spent the last two weeks trying to learn how to shift and not stall. I guess we'll see how he does tonight. Thanks anyway, though!"

"I see. For as long as you've worked here and as much as you talk about him, you are aware that I have yet to meet him, aren't you? And Lulu says he's very intelligent."

Demyx grinned widely. "Yep! My Zexy is one of the smartest people in the world! I'm sure he'll come in tonight."

No sooner had Demyx finished his sentence than did Zexion walk hesitantly into the store. Demyx's smile grew even wider, if that were possible. He remained near the door, almost as if he was too shy to approach Vincent, stuffing his hands and keys in the pockets of his cargo pants. Demyx jumped up, motioning a hand for Zexion to come closer, which he did.

"Dem, are…" Zexion cleared his throat, his voice barely audible. "Are you ready to go?"

Demyx laughed. "Come on, Zexy. Don't be so shy! Vincent, this is Zexion. Zexy, this is Vincent."

Vincent stepped forward, offering a hand, which Zexion shook timidly. "It's nice to finally meet you, Zexion. I've heard a lot about you."

Zexion smiled, his voice still low. "I hope it's all been good."

"Of course it has, Zexy!" Demyx cheered. "See you later, Vinny! Come on, Zexy. Let's see you drive this car of yours."

They walked out to Zexion's car, a small black car with two doors that was much nicer than Axel's despite the small dent in the back from the previous owners. After climbing in and fastening their seatbelts, Zexion started down the road. Demyx had to admit, Zexion was a much better driver than Axel. It was cute seeing him adjust the seat so that he could reach the pedals and the clutch. He did a good job shifting, too. They only stalled once, which disappointed Zexion to the fullest.

"So, are you ready for the big show tomorrow?" Demyx asked as Zexion pulled up in front of his house.

Zexion shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. I'm pretty nervous this time, though."

Demyx smiled. "Me, too. You gonna come inside?"

"If I come in, you won't let me leave."

"That's the point! Come on. Put this thing in park, or neutral, or however the hell you park a stick shift!"

Zexion laughed, turning the car off and following Demyx inside the house. Mrs. Takahashi smiled as they walked inside, glancing away from her movie and waving. Demyx felt somewhat sorry for not telling her about their gig tomorrow. They had all agreed to keep the whole situation a secret until afterward. But Demyx knew that no matter what they decided, she would support him.

The two young men walked upstairs to Demyx's room, where the blonde turned on the television and cuddled with his lover on the bed. Zexion snuggled up to the taller man, burying his nose in Demyx's chest. Demyx laughed, squeezing his slate-haired love tighter. Though the television was on, they weren't focused on it. Zexion looked up, his blue eyes looking intently into Demyx's blue-green ones.

"I want to stay like this forever…" Zexion sighed happily.

"Me too. Hey, Zexy, did you talk to the others today? Are they sticking with our decision?"

Zexion nodded. "Yes. We're all in agreement."

"Good."

* * *

Lexaeus, who was back in town for the summer vacation, arrived to take them to the gig the next day. The band members and Larxene didn't mention Xigbar, not wanting to let on that they knew about the situation. Despite Axel's previous threats, he didn't snitch on Larxene for telling. Even when they met up with Xaldin before setting up, he held back from saying anything. Demyx, on the other hand, was having a much more difficult time, seeing as he had met Xigbar once before. The other's had no idea what he even looked like.

They unloaded the truck the same way they always did. This time, however, Axel managed not to drop anyone's instruments. Xaldin was on edge again, but this time they knew why. The show time was getting closer and closer, and Demyx could feel his nerves building. Each of the band members was exceptionally nervous. But they couldn't blame each other. This was the biggest show they'd ever done, and they didn't want to make any mistakes.

The pub started to fill with people as the evening wore on, and the band prepared to take their places on stage. Demyx hadn't seen Xigbar anywhere in the audience, but it didn't calm his nerves any. He'd been telling himself all night not to scout the crowds for the man. It was so hard not to, knowing that he would be there. They took their places on stage before the curtain went up, nervous looks passing between them.

"Is everyone ready?" Marluxia asked, cracking his knuckles before resting his fingers on the keyboard.

Axel nodded. "You bet. Demyx, if he shows, the talking is all up to you, okay?"

Demyx gave a short nod. "…Yeah."

"Don't worry, Dem," Zexion spoke, his tone calm. "If I can, I'll go with you."

"Thanks, Zexy." He glanced at the others. "Do you guys remember the music we made a while back? The slower song that we never had lyrics for?"

Axel shrugged. "What about it?"

"For our last song, I want us to play that. Just trust me."

"…Okay."

"Get ready, guys," Saix said with a sigh, knowing there was no time to argue. "Here it goes."

The curtain went up, and Demyx immediately noticed Xigbar sitting in the front row, another man seated beside him. Before he could even consider running offstage, Axel clicked his drumsticks together and the rest of the band started to play. But Demyx suddenly realized he wasn't nervous, that it didn't even matter that Xigbar was sitting in front of him. He was surrounded by his band mates, his best friends, and he found comfort in knowing that.

Throughout most of the show, Xigbar was talking on his cell phone. The man next to him, however, seemed to be scrutinizing every little aspect of the band. Demyx knew that this was the "higher up" Larxene had told them about. Though how much higher than Xigbar, they didn't know. At one point, the man snatched Xigbar's phone and snapped the flip-phone shut, handing it back to Xigbar apathetically.

To Demyx's surprise, as the show neared its end, the two men stood and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. But he continued, the band flowing easily into the last song, the one that hadn't had lyrics. He'd decided that his version of "Sweetest Song" would fit well with the music the band had, using his sitar melody that he'd done for Zexion's birthday. Hopefully the rest of the band, and the crowd, would agree with him. He'd always thought they could use a change from their normal mode, and this song was it. Most of the crowd seemed to be captivated by the melody, and he could see Zexion smiling faintly from the corner of his eye. As the curtain came to a close, the crowd roared with a booming cheer, the loudest they'd ever received.

Axel was the first to speak once the microphones were off. "Did you see him? Was he out there?"

Demyx nodded. "He was out there. But he walked away with another guy a little bit ago. I don't know if they left or not."

"Hey, kid! Demyx, right?" Xigbar said, stepping backstage. The others glanced at him in confusion, but Demyx recognized him. "We met a little while back. Can I borrow you for a minute? I have a friend who wants to talk to you."

The others glanced at Demyx, who looked at Xigbar. "Um…Okay. But Zexy's coming with me!"

"He asked only for you."

Demyx looked at Zexion, who looked a little put out, but took it rather well. "It's okay, Dem. I'll be fine."

Xigbar waved a hand eagerly. "Just follow me."

The man started away, and Demyx looked back toward the others. They all gave him a nod and a reassuring smile. Then, he gave Zexion a quick kiss and followed Xigbar to the bar. The man that had been next to Xigbar during the show was there, a stern look on his face. He was quite intimidating, with long silver-white hair and yellow eyes. His eyes swept over the young man before him, attentive as Demyx took his seat at the bar. Xigbar sat next to the man, his cell phone ringing again. After a threatening glance from the man, Xigbar silenced the ringer, then focused on the situation at hand.

"First things first," Xigbar started. "Introductions. You're Demyx, right?"

"Yeah," Demyx answered.

"Okay. My name is Xigbar. We met last time, Demyx, but I don't think I really got to tell you what I was here for. I work for Oblivion Records. You might know the band called The Nobodies? We signed them. Had a little trouble not too long ago, but it's all fine and dandy now. Anyway, this is my boss, Xemnas. He owns the company. I brought him here to see what he thought of you and─" Xemnas cleared his throat, and Xigbar took the hint. "I'll just let him explain the rest."

"Xaldin has been telling Xigbar about your band for quite some time," Xemnas spoke. "Upon seeing you perform, he thought it worth while for me to see you. I must say that I am impressed. Especially with the last song you played. That, I believe, is a hit waiting to happen. So, I have decided to extend to you an offer to sign as a client to Oblivion Records. What do you say, Demyx?"

Demyx glanced around nervously, taking in a deep breath before speaking. "Well, Mr. Xemnas, my band and I have always dreamt of signing to a record company."

Xemnas nodded. "Of course. Most bands do."

"However, we have all decided to decline your generous offer."

"Wh-what?!" Xigbar sputtered. "But, Xaldin said you'd…"

"I did always dream of it," Demyx smiled. "Like Mr. Xemnas said, most bands do. But some dreams are meant to be just dreams. To be honest, I've come to realize that I have everything that I really want. I've been accepted to a good school, I have my friends, and the love of my life. I don't want to lose any of that. My band mates and I are happy with just being a local band. I don't know if I would really like all of the media attention and screaming fans. The people here appreciate us, and we're grateful for that. I was always afraid of my band mates slipping away from me. But now I know that's not going to happen. We do appreciate you coming here to see us and extending the offer, but as I said, we can't accept it."

Xemnas's face remained stern, and Demyx fidgeted a bit in his seat. But after a moment, the man smiled. "You're a wise young man, Demyx. Most people don't stop to think about the price they pay for fame. I understand your reasoning."

Xigbar glanced between his boss and Demyx. "If you won't sign with us, can we at least buy that song from you?"

Demyx shook his head. "Sorry, but no. That song is…personal."

Xemnas raised his eyebrows, but he didn't push the issue. "Should you change your mind, the offer still stands. Xaldin knows how to get in touch with us. Come, Xigbar. We have a lot of business to tend to. It was a pleasure to meet you and to hear your band play. I have a feeling our paths may cross again in the future."

Xigbar, still shocked by the answer, stood and grabbed his phone out of his pocket. He stumbled as he started to follow Xemnas out of the pub, waving a hand at Demyx. "See you around, kid!"

He watched as the two men disappeared, leaving behind the small-town business. He glanced back toward where his band mates were clustered near the stage, all giving him thumbs up or smiling proudly. It was the hardest thing Demyx had ever done, but he knew it was the best decision. It was what they all had wanted and agreed upon. Xaldin approached him from behind the bar, slinging a towel over his shoulder.

"So you declined, huh?" he asked. "I knew that Larxene would squeal eventually. I actually expected it."

Demyx nodded. "Yep. How long have you been planning this exactly?"

"Since the first time I heard you guys play. I respect your decision, though. But you can't blame a guy for trying, right?"

"Right."

The bar keeper started to walk away.

"Hey, Xaldin."

"Yeah?"

Demyx smiled. "Thanks…for everything."

* * *

"Listen up, bitches!" Axel called, clinging his fork to his glass.

They were sitting at the bar in Xaldin's pub after the crowds had cleared. Of course, none of them were allowed to drink, so they'd settled for beer mugs full of soda. Xaldin had let them all eat for free after all of the equipment was packed away. It was nearly three in the morning, but they were all still awake from the adrenaline the night had packed.

Axel raised his mug into the air. "A toast, to the future!"

Roxas raised his eyebrows. "So you're going to say something inspirational? That's not like you, Axel."

"Hell, no! I just wanted to say that the future is going to rock for me, and the best of luck to the rest of you."

"I don't know about that. What will Reno say when you tell him you just turned down fame and fortune?"

Axel slowly sat back in his chair, hand on his chin. "I haven't really thought about that…"

Demyx smiled as the others laughed and conversations resumed, bits of food flying toward Axel as he made more wisecracks. Zexion was silent most of the time, smiling faintly as he listened. When he realized Demyx was looking at him, he motioned his head, signaling the blonde to follow him. Demyx rose from his barstool as Zexion hopped down from his. The others noticed them walking outside to the back lot, deciding to give the two some time alone.

Zexion sighed as he looked to the star-speckled sky. The weather was still warm despite the late hour, giving early warning to the populace that tomorrow would be a hot one. Demyx smiled, thinking back to the time they'd sat in the garage complaining about the heat. Hopefully, though they would all be going off to college soon, those times would continue.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Zexion spoke, eyes glued to the sky. "That the light we're seeing now was actually sent from those stars years and years ago?" He smiled fondly, looking back at Demyx. "After all of the times I wished upon them that you would feel the way for me that I do for you. It finally came true. I have everything I ever wanted…except for one thing."

Demyx looked at him, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around the smaller male. "Well, tell me what it is, and I'll get it for you. Even if it's pulling one of those stars from the sky."

"Do you remember back when you first found out you were accepted to Twilight U? You came rushing into the pizza shop and you told me that we could be roommates?"

Demyx nodded. "Yeah. And Axel blurted something about dorm sex."

Zexion blushed. "Erm…yeah. But _that_ is not what this is about. Well, when they sent out the papers for those of us staying on campus I kinda might have…sorta maybe…"

"You sound like me, Zexy. I must be rubbing off on you."

"Hm…perhaps. But I…Okay, I _did_ request you as a roommate. But it might not happen since only one of us did that, but there's a chance that it could happen. You…won't be mad if it does, will you?"

Demyx smiled. "Well, I kinda-might-have-sorta-maybe-did request you as a roomie, too. So, since both of us requested each other, I think we will be roomies! Hooray!"

Zexion gave a relieved sigh. "Good."

"Yeah, I know. The whole thought of sharing a room with someone I don't know creeps me out. And Axel told me him and Roxas were doing it, so I thought you wouldn't mind."

Zexion nodded, turning and looking back at the sky. "We have our whole lives ahead of us now. We just had a one in a million chance and we turned it down. But…I think we made a good decision, right? We were logical about it, and we did what we thought was best."

"I know we made the right decision."

Again, Zexion looked back at Demyx. "When we approached the subject, you were insistent on not signing. You were the one that always hoped we would get signed, but you never said why you changed your mind. What happened?"

Demyx glanced at the ground, a blush filling his face as he looked back at his lover. "…You did."

"…Dem…if you wanted to sign, you shouldn't let me hold you back."

"No, that's not what I meant. What I meant was you made me see what I've wanted all along. The only reason I wanted a record deal was so that my friends wouldn't leave me after school was over. I was afraid of losing my friends. But mostly, I was afraid of losing you. And I know that's not going to happen. I have everything I've ever wanted. The life of a rockstar is very much like the life of the stars in the sky. Sure, they're bright for a little while and everyone watches them, but eventually they burn out and everyone forgets about them. I don't want something like that for us. The people here appreciate us, and I'm content with that. And I have you. That's all I need."

Zexion looked Demyx in the eyes. "And you're all I need."

They leaned in, catching each other in a passionate kiss, the light of the moon shining down on them. The stars were their audience, the earth their stage. Demyx didn't care if anyone saw them. He was right where he wanted to be, here under the stars with the love of his life. After a few minutes, their lips parted and Zexion rested his head on Demyx's chest.

"We should probably go in," Zexion said, his voice nearly a whisper.

"I wish we could stay like this forever…"

"Me too. The others are waiting…"

"I know…" They held hands and took a few steps before he stopped them. "Zexy." Demyx smiled, his voice flowing as he sang his next words. "And each time you speak, I love every single word."

The slate-haired man smiled, not singing, but meaning what he said next. "Because the sound of your voice is the sweetest song I've ever heard…"

And after a quick kiss, they turned and walked back toward the bar, down the stairs that led inside. Toward the place where their friends were waiting. Along the path of life together. Demyx didn't know where it would take them, but he knew that as long as Zexion was by his side, he would be okay. His Zexion….His best friend, his soulmate.…His own sweetest song.

* * *

Well, that's it. I thought it was best to end the story here before it drags on for too long. I hope it's not too bad.

Anyway, I've started my next Zemyx story. It's called **Build Me Up**, so if you're interested in reading, keep an eye out for it! I'm trying to have the Intro and the first chapter up soon, but I need to work out the quirks in it. Hope to hear from everyone soon!


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